(MENAFN) On Thursday, the Kremlin disclosed ongoing discussions concerning a potential exchange involving Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for a US-based news agency who has been in Russian custody for nearly a year on charges of espionage.
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American citizen, was apprehended by FSB security agents in March 2023 and formally accused of espionage, marking a notable incident as it is the first such charge levied against a Western journalist since the Soviet era.
Gershkovich, along with his employers and the White House, vehemently refute the espionage allegations, asserting that they are baseless and fabricated. Despite the serious accusations, they maintain Gershkovich's innocence and protest against the perceived injustice of his detention.
Vladimir Putin himself has signaled a willingness to engage in a potential swap involving the journalist, indicating a degree of openness to resolving the situation through diplomatic channels. The Kremlin, in its statement on Thursday, acknowledged that discussions surrounding the matter are still ongoing, hinting at diplomatic maneuvers occurring behind closed doors.
"We have repeatedly said that there are certain contacts, but they must be carried out in absolute silence," Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov informed journalists.
"Breaking this silence will only create additional problems and prevent any result being achieved in this process," he further mentioned, without going into detail.
This week, a court in Moscow decided that Gershkovich would continue to be held in pre-trial detention until the end of June.
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