Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested while reporting in Russia on March 29, 2023. When he learned he was being charged with espionage, he was, believe it or not, relieved.
In his first TV interview since spending 491 days imprisoned in Russia, Gershkovich sat down with “Good Morning America” co-host George Stephanopoulos. He described that day in March 2023, meeting with a source in a Russian restaurant. Soon he was surrounded by half a dozen masked members of Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB. They took him to the ground and placed a hood over his head before carrying him away.
Later, his hood was pulled off and he was asked who he worked for. He said he was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal. They put the hood back on. At the FSB station, he was told he was being charged with espionage. Gershkovich told Stephanopoulos that’s when he was “relieved.”
“Because, one, I’m not going to be tortured,” Gershkovich said. “But, two, it’s a swap case.”
In other words, he believed that he would ultimately be traded for someone held by the United States or one of its allies.
But that wouldn’t happen for more than a year — 491 days, to be exact.
Gershkovich, now 34, described to Stephanopoulos parts of his daily routine in prison.
He got up each morning at 6 a.m. to make his bed. He and his prison cellmate traded off cleaning duties in the cell, where they spent 23 hours a day. He exercised in the cell. He kept notes, but was sure to mail those out of the prison. He read and meditated. He played one — just one — game of backgammon. He and his cellmate, a Russian, occasionally watched TV, bonding over a show they both grew up watching: “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Gershkovich told Stephanopoulos that he received letters from his parents and tried his best to let them know he was doing OK.
At one point, his parents were allowed to visit and he said he was briefly worried that his parents might inadvertently admonish him. After all, even though he was wrongfully charged with espionage, he was reporting from Russia during a war, which could be considered risky.
Instead, Gershkovich said, “They walked in with these beaming smiles. … And my dad said, I think, one of the most powerful things he has ever said to me, which was, ‘We come here with respect for you.’ (It) was an amazing thing for a parent to say, but it also kind of calmed me going forward.”
As part of the process leading to his release, Gershkovich had to write a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin asking for pardon. He said he tried to be as diplomatic as possible, saying he could understand why Russian courts might have “mistakenly” thought he committed espionage. Then, Gershkovich added in his interview with Stephanopoulos, he and Putin could agree that the situation could be resolved in a swap.
On July 19, 2024, Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison. But just a couple of weeks later, on Aug. 1, Gershkovich was released. He was part of a complicated prison swap that included 24 prisoners from six countries.
He thanked former President Joe Biden, saying, “He’s the reason I’m sitting here today.”
After returning, Gershkovich said, “You get back to life pretty quickly. The trauma lasts and there are things to work on and it took a while to feel normal again. But the first days are pretty joyous and the adrenaline carries you.”
Ultimately, he said it’s just a “chapter” in his life story.
Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker, left, interviews Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. (Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal)
Gershkovich has a new book out today about his experience: “This Cursed Beautiful Land: A Russian-American Story.”
The Wall Street Journal ran this excerpt: “Did Putin Really Think I Was a Spy?”
Aside from his interview on “Good Morning America,” Gershkovich had a compelling interview with Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker.
Gershkovich talked with Tucker about his arrest, life inside a Russian prison, his lowest moment and what it was like to finally be released.
Tucker also asked a really good question: Has his experience changed the way he thinks about journalism?
Gershkovich said, “It’s changed the way I think about journalism today. The accepted rules and norms are changing of what a foreign correspondent is, what it is that they’re allowed to do. More countries are becoming authoritarian. More countries are more willing to no longer treat a foreign correspondent (like a) kind of a diplomat where, if you’re really unhappy with an outlet or a certain journalist, you don’t extend their visa, you cancel their accreditation, you kick them out. You don’t take them hostage. So, I’ve thought about that a great deal, about the risks we take, the situations we put ourselves in.”
“But,” Gershkovich continued, “I also think those questions make sense at home, too. I started reporting for this book to find out about why I was arrested, how the swap came together. And I went to (Washington) D.C. to talk to former Biden administration officials. People were quite scared to talk. The atmosphere is chilled and cool here for journalists. We’ve had a situation since I’ve been released where one of our reporters has been doxed and attacked publicly. We’ve been sued for good reporting. So I think I’ve thought more about where the world is heading.”
Earlier this month, Fox News Media parted ways with Maria Bartiromo. Fox didn’t say why, but there were reports that it was because she shared with the White House Fox Business’s internal communications about avoiding coverage of a Donald Trump speech that included false claims about a rigged 2020 election. For the record, Bartiromo’s lawyer said reports that she was fired were “irresponsible.”
Anyway, among her other duties, Bartiromo hosted “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News. For now, she is being replaced by Fox Business host Larry Kudlow.
Kudlow hosted this past Sunday and will continue doing so through Nov. 8. That’s the weekend after the midterm elections. The network said a permanent host will be named at a later date.
Kudlow spent many years at CNBC before joining Trump’s first administration, where he served from 2018 to 2021 as assistant to the president for economic policy.
“Today” show weatherman Al Roker abruptly left the show Monday morning. But he had a good reason: He had jury duty. Roker gave the weather several times on the show but then was replaced by Dylan Dreyer.
“Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie told viewers, “We have Dylan taking over for Al, who had to leave a little bit early.”
Later, co-host Craig Melvin told viewers, “Al had to step out for just a little bit. He’ll be back tomorrow.”
Roker later posted a video on Instagram, saying, “Well, got out of the ‘Today’ show early because I’ve got jury duty. It’s everybody’s civic duty to do your duty.”
Roker then laughed and said, “I said duty twice!”
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