RIA Novosti’s source threatened WSJ with consequences for Evan Hershkovich

The source of RIA “Novosti” threatened the American newspaper Wall Street Journal with consequences for journalist Evan Hershkovich if the newspaper publishes “disinformation about Russia”. Hershkovich is in the “Lefortovo” pre-trial detention center on espionage charges.

“If the Wall Street Journal continues to engage in activities not related to journalism, publishing disinformation about Russia, it will mean that the editors are not at all interested in Hershkovich’s fate,” said a spokesman for the state agency.

The source also stated that in recent days the newspaper published “a number of articles with false statements concerning Russia.” It is not specified what exactly the materials are in question.

• WSJ journalist Evan Hershkovich was detained on March 29 in Yekaterinburg, the next day a court in Moscow sent him to the “Lefortovo” pre-trial detention center. The FSB claims that Hershkovich was collecting secret information on one of the enterprises of the military-industrial complex at the behest of the United States.
• Hershkovich pleaded not guilty. The editors of The Wall Street Journal categorically rejected the accusations of espionage and stated that Hershkovich was doing his job. In particular, he asked residents of Yekaterinburg about their reactions to the losses incurred by PMC “Wagner” in Ukraine.
• The US State Department recognized journalist Evan Hershkovich as “unlawfully detained” by Russia. This status is equivalent to the status of a hostage and allows Washington to use additional mechanisms to achieve his release – in particular, to negotiate the exchange of an American citizen.