Evan Gershkovich says Russia framed his arrest to turn him into a valuable hostage

American journalist Evan Gershkovich said that, shortly after his arrest in Russia, he realized he had been lured into a trap and turned into a hostage intended for a prisoner exchange. Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 at a restaurant in Yekaterinburg by masked FSB agents while meeting a source for a story.

He told the BBC that he was not interrogated or tortured, but was directly accused of espionage. According to the journalist, this suggested that the case had been fabricated to increase his value in Moscow’s negotiations with the West. Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison and incarcerated at Lefortovo in Moscow.

After 16 months in detention, the journalist was released on August 1, 2024, as part of a major prisoner exchange between Russia and the West. He believes Moscow sought to secure the release of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian assassin sentenced to life in prison in Germany.

Now based in Berlin, Gershkovich says his detention caused panic attacks and insomnia. He sought therapy for post-traumatic stress and says he hopes to return to Russia, but only after Vladimir Putin leaves office.