Russia is holding at least a dozen American citizens in jail, including journalists and active duty soldiers. One of the most prominent individuals among them is Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich, who was accredited by Russia to work there, was arrested in March 2023 in the city of Yekaterinburg on charges of espionage that could lead to a 20-year prison sentence. The FSB security service claims that he was gathering secret information about Uralvagonzavod, a company that produces battle tanks. Both Gershkovich and his newspaper have vehemently denied these charges, with the U.S. government designating him as wrongfully detained and seeking ways to secure his release.
Another detainee is Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine holding citizenship in multiple countries, who was arrested in 2018 and handed a 16-year sentence for espionage. Despite his denial of the charges, Russian investigators alleged that he was a spy for military intelligence and caught with classified information. Whelan did not feature in a U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange in 2022, and the U.S. has labeled him as wrongfully detained.
Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Russia and a reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was arrested in Kazan for failing to register as a foreign agent and spreading false information about the Russian army. Her husband has requested that the U.S. designate her as wrongfully detained. Furthermore, active duty U.S. staff sergeant Gordon Black was detained on suspicion of theft and threatening behavior towards his Russian girlfriend.
Additional detainees include Robert Gilman, who was sentenced to prison for attacking a police officer while drunk, and Ksenia Karelina, who faces treason charges for allegedly collecting funds for a Ukrainian organization. Marc Fogel, a former schoolteacher, is serving a 14-year sentence for drug smuggling, and Robert Romanov Woodland was detained on drug possession charges.
Eugene Spector, a U.S. citizen who was charged with espionage and bribery, is currently serving a 3-1/2-year sentence. These cases highlight the complex and challenging situations faced by American citizens detained in Russia. The U.S. government continues to work towards securing the release of these individuals through diplomatic channels and negotiations with Russian authorities. The upcoming trials and legal proceedings will be closely monitored to ensure that justice is served and the rights of the detainees are protected.
