Watch: US journalist Evan Gershkovich describes being detained by Russian agents

US journalist Evan Gershkovich described his detention by Russian agents in an interview with the BBC’s Today programme, saying he spent 16 months in custody. In his first UK broadcast interview, the Wall Street Journal correspondent said he realised he had been "lured into a trap" when masked men surrounded him at a building in March 2023, leading to his arrest. He was later sentenced to 16 years on espionage charges, but was released in 2024 as part of a high‑profile prisoner exchange. Gershkovich and his lawyer have consistently maintained that the charges were false. Following his arrest, then‑US President Joe Biden said he had "no higher priority" than bringing Gershkovich home.