Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was detained by Russian authorities in Yekaterinburg in March 2023 on charges of espionage, while reporting on Russian military activities. Gershkovich, who moved to Russia in 2017 to report on his parents' birth country, has worked on the staff of various news organizations, including The Moscow Times and AFP. He was known for his on-the-ground reporting, which included sleeping in a Siberian forest while covering forest fires and chronicling medical students during the pandemic. Gershkovich's friends have expressed concern about him, particularly after his arrest, when he was imprisoned in Moscow's Lefortovo jail, a notorious detention facility. The US State Department has since designated Gershkovich as 'wrongfully detained' and called for his release, but the Russian government has offered no evidence to support the charges against him. The arrest comes amidst an increasing crackdown of independent journalism by Russian President Putin, and has gained international attention, with numerous high-profile organizations calling for Gershkovich's release.