History of Evan Gershkovich in Timeline

Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter covering Russia, was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges, the first such instance involving an American journalist in Russia since the Cold War. The arrest drew condemnation from the White House and media organizations. Following a trial, Gershkovich was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison in July 2024.

1979: Gershkovich's Parents Emigrate to the United States

Evan Gershkovich's parents, Ella and Mikhail Gershkovich, emigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1979 through the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program.

October 26, 1991: Evan Gershkovich is Born

Evan Gershkovich was born on October 26, 1991.

2010: Gershkovich Graduates High School

In 2010, Evan Gershkovich graduated from Princeton High School, where he was captain of the soccer team.

2014: Gershkovich Graduates from Bowdoin College

Evan Gershkovich graduated from Bowdoin College in 2014 with degrees in philosophy and English.

2016: Gershkovich's Time at The New York Times

Evan Gershkovich worked for The New York Times from 2016 to 2017.

2016: The New York Times Employs Gershkovich

The New York Times employed Evan Gershkovich from 2016 to 2017.

2017: Gershkovich Begins Work at The Moscow Times

Evan Gershkovich worked at The Moscow Times from 2017 to 2020.

2017: Gershkovich Leaves The New York Times

Evan Gershkovich's employment at The New York Times ended in 2017.

2018: Paul Whelan Accused of Espionage in Russia

Paul Whelan, a former Marine, was accused of espionage in Russia in 2018.

2019: Gershkovich Highlights OVD-Info in The Moscow Times

In 2019, Evan Gershkovich published his first story for The Moscow Times, bringing attention to the non-governmental organization OVD-Info.

2020: Gershkovich Joins Agence France-Presse

Evan Gershkovich worked for Agence France-Presse from 2020 to 2022.

January 2022: Gershkovich Joins The Wall Street Journal

Evan Gershkovich began working for The Wall Street Journal in January 2022.

January 2023: Maria Mayer and Ludwig Gisch Arrested

In January 2023, Maria Mayer and Ludwig Gisch were arrested in Slovenia on charges of spying for Russia. This event fueled speculation that they could be part of a potential prisoner swap involving Evan Gershkovich.

March 2023: Gershkovich Detained by Russian Authorities

In March 2023, Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russia's Federal Security Service on charges of espionage. This marked the first time a journalist working for an American outlet had been arrested on such charges in Russia since the Cold War.

March 2023: Sergey Cherkasov Imprisoned in Brazil

In March 2023, Sergey Cherkasov was imprisoned in Brazil for falsifying Brazilian documents. The U.S. Department of Justice had indicted him for espionage, asserting he was a Russian spy posing as a student from Brazil at Johns Hopkins.

March 29, 2023: Gershkovich Detained in Yekaterinburg

On March 29, 2023, Evan Gershkovich was detained by the counterintelligence department of the Federal Security Service (FSB) while on assignment in Yekaterinburg, Russia. He was accused of having information on a "Russian defence enterprise."

April 10, 2023: US Declares Gershkovich 'Wrongfully Detained'

On April 10, 2023, the US State Department officially designated Evan Gershkovich as "wrongfully detained."

April 27, 2023: US Sanctions Russian FSB over Gershkovich Detention

On April 27, 2023, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), accusing them of wrongfully detaining Evan Gershkovich.