Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist who works for The Wall Street Journal covering Russia, was arrested by Russia’s Federal Security Service on espionage charges in March 2023. This marked the first time an American journalist had been arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War.
Many have condemned his arrest, and experts speculate that the motivation behind it was an anticipated prisoner exchange for one or more high-profile Russians imprisoned in other countries. Before his arrest, Gershkovich was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
Early life
Evan Gershkovich (October 26, 1991) came from a Jewish family and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey by his loving and caring parents, Ella and Mikhail Gershkovich. Before they settled into an extended family and became acquainted with each other, the parents fled the Soviet Union during the mass emigration after rumors about the expulsion of Jews from the residential areas of Siberia arose. The couple later settled in the United States in 1979 and fled to New York, where they eventually met and married.
Evan Gershkovich is a graduate student at Princeton High School, where he was part of a soccer team in 2010. He later went to Bowdoin College and majored in philosophy and English. During this time he devoted his time and contribution to writing plays such as The Bowdoin Orient and The Bowdoin Review. He was also involved in the work profile of the campus radio station WBOR. He received his degree during conscription in 2014. Evan Gershkovich grew up with his married sister, Danielle, according to the New York Post.
Evan Gershkovich career
Gershkovich, a former journalist, had a career spanning across several media outlets before joining the Wall Street Journal in January 2022. He had previously worked for The New York Times from 2016 to 2017, The Moscow Times from 2017 to 2020, and Agence France Presse from 2020 to 2022, showcasing his diverse experience in the field of journalism.
Prior to his arrest, Gershkovich had been living in Russia for six years, where he was stationed at the Wall Street Journal’s bureau in Moscow, reporting on the ongoing war in Ukraine. During his tenure, he had developed expertise in covering topics related to the Russian mercenary military organization, Wagner.
Gershkovich’s arrest took place in Yekaterinburg, where he was in the midst of his coverage of Wagner. It is a concerning situation for journalists, especially those who report on sensitive topics, as it highlights the potential risks and challenges that they face in their line of work.
Arrest
Gershkovich entered a restaurant in Yekaterinburg on March 29, 2023, and his phone was turned off two hours later. Despite efforts by the Journal’s lawyers, he could not be located.
The Federal Security Service of Russia detained Gershkovich on charges of espionage, marking the first time since the Cold War that an American journalist has been arrested in Russia on such charges. Gershkovich was ordered to be held until the end of May, while investigations were ongoing, by a court that was operating in closed session, according to NPR. He was also scheduled to be transferred to Lefortovo prison while awaiting trial, according to Kommersant. A conviction for espionage carries a potential 20-year sentence.
On April 18, 2023, a Russian court denied Gershkovich’s appeal against his pre-trial detention, rejecting his legal team’s offer to free him on bail of 50 million roubles ($614,000) or put him under house arrest.
Evan Gershkovich biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Evan Gershkovich |
| birth date | October 1991 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 32 years |
| Place of birth | New York, New York, United States |
| Profession | journalist |
| University | Bowdoin College |
| qualification | graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 5′ 8” – in centimeters – 172 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 78kg – in pounds – 171 pounds |
| Hair color | Brown |
| eye color | Green |
Evan Gershkovich Family | |
| Father | Mikhail Gershkovich |
| Mother | Ella Gerschkovich |
| Sister | One |
| Brother | – |
relationship status | |
| Marital status | single |
| Who is Evan Gershkovich’s wife? | none |
| Children | none |
Personal life
There is no official description on the matter i.e. whether Evan Gershkovich is married or now. Although he’s around 32 years old, we think he might be married but there are no official details on that.
Evan Gershkovich social media
Being of the professional journalistic lineage, Evan Gershkovich is very authentic and strict with the rule of professionalism. Therefore, finding him on social media profiles like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube with public accounts is a challenge. However, he is searchable on his LinkedIn profile by the handle name – Evan Gershkovich, highlighting his hometown as Russia. In addition, we also found him with an unofficial account on Instagram with the Handle name – @evangershkovichwhere he has 2,772 followers.
Evan Gershkovich Net Worth
Evan Gershkovich makes good money due to his decades-long career in journalism and reporting. Although there is no official description of his net worth, many sources say that a Wall Street Journal reporter earns nearly $1,00,000 annually. Going by this fact, Evan could be earning up to $5 million of his net worth in 2023.