The Kremlin on Tuesday reported “contacts” with the US regarding American journalist Evan Gershkovich detained in Russia, but did not confirm that negotiations were ongoing over a possible prisoner swap.
• Also read: American journalist detained in Russia: news about his health
• Also read: Russia: American journalist Evan Gershkovich remains in detention by the judiciary
On Monday, the US Ambassador to Moscow, Lynne Tracy, was able to visit the Wall Street Journal journalist who has been jailed on espionage charges and whom he rejects on the grounds that he is in “good health”.
According to Russian media, on the same day, Russian consular officials visited a Russian detained for cybercrime in the US, Vladimir Dunaev.
Asked about the significance of these two visits and possible negotiations on a prisoner exchange, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that there were “contacts” between Moscow and Washington.
“We said there were some contacts on this subject, but we don’t want to make them public in any way,” Peskov said. “They must take place in complete silence and go on,” he added.
He did not give any details, but stressed that “the right to consular contact (for detainees) must be respected on both sides”.
Although these statements are vague, they seem to indicate that Russia is open to the idea of a prisoner swap involving Evan Gershkovich.
The 31-year-old journalist, who has also worked for AFP in the past, was arrested on March 29 while reporting in Yekaterinburg (Urals).
His arrest comes in the context of serious diplomatic tensions between the United States and Russia caused by the conflict in Ukraine, where Washington is providing Kiev with military and financial support against Moscow.
The United States, the Wall Street Journal and the family of Evan Gershkovich, like him, deny the “espionage” allegations made by the Russian authorities.
According to the US Department of Justice, Vladimir Dounaev was extradited from South Korea to the US in 2021 on charges of belonging to a cybercriminal organization.
The US and many experts regularly accuse Russia of arbitrarily detaining American citizens and then exchanging them for Russians detained by Washington or its Western allies.
In December, American basketball player Brittney Griner, arrested in Russia for cannabis trafficking, was freed against Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer jailed in the US.