State Department urges US citizens to leave Russia immediately
Evan Hershkovich (Photo:The Wall Street Journal/Handout via REUTERS)
Following the arrest of The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in Moscow, U.S. State Department calls on U.S. citizens to immediately leave Russian territory, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement posted on the department’s website on March 30.
“In the strongest possible terms, we condemn the Kremlin’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish journalists and civil society voices,” the message reads.
The secretary stressed that it’s currently dangerous for U.S. citizens to remain in Russia, and urged them to leave the country immediately.
“We reiterate our strong warnings about the danger posed to U.S. citizens inside the Russian Federation,” the statement said.
“U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Russia should depart immediately, as stated in our Travel Advisory for Russia.”
On March 30, a Moscow court arrested Evan Gershkovich, a journalist working for The Wall Street Journal. Gershkovich is accused of "espionage" on behalf of the United States. Gershkovich was reportedly working on an article about Russian private military company Wagner Group and its involvement in the war in Ukraine.
The WSJ denied the charges against Gershkovich and demanded his immediate release.
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