The Wall Street Journal reporter was in Yekaterinburg when agents approached his table at a local bistro. They frogmarched him out of the restaurant and pulled his shirt over his head, witnesses said. The signal was clear: this was no ordinary arrest.
That began a nearly 500-day odyssey in Russia's notorious prison system for Gershkovich, the first reporter to be arrested and charged with espionage since the cold war. The Russian government said Gershkovich had been recruited by the CIA to collect information about the country's Uralvagonzavod tank company.
Gershkovich pleaded not guilty, and the Wall Street Journal as well as the Biden administration have strenuously denied the charges, calling Gershkovich a hostage and pawn in a larger geopolitical game. For his part, Vladimir Putin has barely hidden his true aim: to free a man named Vadim Krasikov, who was until today serving a life sentence for the assassination of a Chechen rebel commander in the Tiergarten, Berlin.
In his interview with Tucker Carlson this year, Putin described Krasikov as "a person who eliminated a bandit in one of the European capitals, due to patriotic sentiments". But a little digging suggested Krasikov was probably an elite FSB assassin tasked with murdering Putin's opponents abroad. "Putin had become maniacal about getting Krasikov back; he really wanted Krasikov," a source told the Guardian this year. "It was a symbol that we don't abandon our people."
Krasikov was central to Putin's demands, and Gershkovich the most significant prisoner for the White House, but the ensuing year of negotiations pulled in hundreds of other people, including Russian political prisoners and Russian spies held abroad, negotiators on both sides, a Russian billionaire reportedly acting as broker in the exchange, as well as the jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
This story is from the August 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 02, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Do it for Gary Villa mourn 1982 hero on return to European elite
Unai Emery has said Aston Villa plan to dedicate victory to Gary Shaw if they beat Young Boys in the Champions League after the 1982 European Cup winner died yesterday aged 63.
A new dawn, or just the richest clubs winning in ever more lucrative ways?
Uefa's new format is not about greater jeopardy, explains Jonathan Liew, but its desire to supplant sporting integrity with the thrills of the TV game show
"That trophy, the moment lives with you for ever'
As Aston Villareturn to Europe's elite competition, we catchup with some of the squad who won the 198? final
'I literally just cried. I curled up into a ball'
Tom Curry feared a hip injury would end his career but the Sale and England flanker is back after gruelling recovery
Higher and higher Villa fans' lame resistance to ticket price greed gives hierarchy free pass
If the powers that be at Aston Villa were remotely concerned their decision to charge extortionately high prices for tickets to Champions League home games this season might lead to repercussions in the form of any sort of meaningful fan protest, they were sent a very clear message on Saturday night.
John Lewis Hopes that former Tesco boss will speed up retail revival
Jason Tarry started his first day as chairman of the John Lewis Partnership yesterday with a full in-tray, after his predecessor, Sharon White, handed over control.
Blow for Belfast shipbuilding as Harland & Wolff goes bust
Harland & Wolff, the owner of the Belfast shipyard that built the Titanic, is to enter into administration this week after failing to find new funding, in a blow to UK government hopes of shipbuilding in the city.
France's European commissioner quits in row with EU chief
France's European commissioner, Thierry Breton, has resigned, citing \"questionable governance\" at the EU executive led by Ursula von der Leyen.
Israeli strikes on residential buildings kill 16 in Gaza, officials say
At least 16 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across central Gaza on Sunday night and yesterday morning, including five women and four children, Palestinian health officials said.
At least 16 dead as 'catastrophic' rain and flooding hit central Europe
The death toll from torrential rain and flooding in central and eastern Europe rose to at least 16 yesterday, with several more people missing, as officials reported deaths in the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria, and warned the worst may be yet to come.