U.S. accuses Russia of targeting U.S. citizens
The White House accused Russia on Thursday of targeting U.S. citizens. and assured that he is in contact with Vladimir Putin’s government following the arrest of journalist Evan Gershkovich. “The Russian government’s targeting of U.S. citizens is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr. Gershkovich in the strongest terms,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Moscow’s Lefortovo court. Thursday handed down two months’ remand in custody for Gershkovichan American journalist for The Wall Street Journal detained in Russia for alleged espionage.
According to a source in the security services quoted by the TASS agency, the reporter, who could be sentenced to 20 years in prisonpleaded not guilty before the judge. Jean-Pierre explained that the U.S. government is “deeply concerned” about the “disturbing reports” and said that White House and State Department officials spoke with the Wall Street Journal as well as his family.
“The State Department has been in direct contact with the Russian government on this matter, including actively working to secure consular access to Mr. Gershkovich,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement in which he condemned “the continued attacks and repression by the Russian Executive against journalists and freedom of the press.”
“I want to strongly reiterate that Americans should pay attention to. the U.S. government’s warning not to travel to Russia.. U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Russia should leave immediately, as the State Department continues to advise,” the spokeswoman said. Later, at a press conference, Jean-Pierre called the charges brought against Gershkovich “unbelievably ridiculous.”
She further explained that US President Joe Biden was informed of what happened when he received his briefing on Thursday morning, in which members of the Government inform him every day of the latest developments in the world. The Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, underlined in another statement that the top priority of his Cabinet is the safety of Americans abroad.and condemned the Kremlin’s “repeated attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices.”
