Photo Credit: Reuters/Tom Brenner
March 18, Washington. President Joe Biden has demanded the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Ivan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia on charges of espionage. In addition, he has rejected a request made by the newspaper’s editorial board to deport the Russian journalist from the US.
Before leaving for the state of Mississippi to inspect the damage caused by the storm, President Biden said that journalist Ivan should be released by Moscow. Officers of Russia’s Federal Security Service arrested him last Wednesday in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth largest city, on charges of trying to obtain secret information about Russian soldiers.
The newspaper’s editorial team published a brief comment on the opinion page, saying that the Russian ambassador to the US and all Russian journalists should be expelled. President Biden has made it clear that he is not thinking of doing so immediately.
Addressing the journalist Ivan, the magazine has expressed its commitment to do everything possible for his release and safety in a letter to the article. The newspaper said that his safety is of utmost importance. AFP