The Russian news agency Interfax reports that it is about Evan Gershkovich, who covers Russia and Ukraine, among others, for the American newspaper. According to the Russian security service FSB, he is accused of spying on behalf of the United States.

Gershkovich was reportedly arrested in the Ural Mountains town of Yekaterinburg while "trying to obtain classified information" about the Russian military, the AP news agency reported, citing Russian media.

"The FSB stopped the illegal activities of American citizen Evan Gershkovich," reads a statement from the FSB quoted in Russian media.

First since the Cold War

He is the first American reporter arrested for spying in Russia since the days of the Cold War. If found guilty of espionage, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

31-year-old Evan Gershkovich speaks Russian and previously worked for the AFP news agency in Moscow. Prior to that, he worked at the English-language newspaper The Moscow Times. His parents live in the US but are originally from the Soviet Union, AFP reports.

His latest article, published earlier this week, focuses on the decline of the Russian economy as a result of the Western sanctions against the country.

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A Russian journalist protests with the sign "journalism is not a crime". Photo: SVT and Denis Kaminev/TT