GUILTY Russia - US journalist Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 years for espionage, 19 July 2024

[Rikissa]

Evan Gershkovich, an US journalist for Wall Street Journal, has been sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony by a Russian court. The Russian authorities have accused EG to be working for the CIA, which the US denies.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich jailed for 16 years in Russia

His employer, The Wall Street Journal, has called the allegations "shameful" and a "sham".

www.bbc.com

 

[Rikissa]

Yet an other journalist have been jailed in Russia, this time Alsu Kurmacheva, a Russian-American working for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. She was jailed for six-and-a-half year for "spreading false information about the Russian Army" on the same day as Evan Gershkovich. Foreign journalists seems to be at risk of getting
arrested and jailed for just doing their job in Russia (not to mention the dangers to Russian journalists).

Alsu Kurmasheva: Russian-US journalist jailed for 'false information'

Alsu Kurmasheva was sentenced on Friday, when fellow reporter Evan Gershkovich was jailed for spying.

www.bbc.com

 

[sds71]

*WSJ REPORTER RELEASED BY RUSSIA IN MULTI-COUNTRY PRISONER SWAP

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818975459943522344

 

[DS2021]

*WSJ REPORTER RELEASED BY RUSSIA IN MULTI-COUNTRY PRISONER SWAP

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818975459943522344

US Reporter Released By Russia in Multi-Country Prisoner Swap

Russia is releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the US, according to people familiar with the situation.

www.bloomberg.com

US Reporter Released by Russia in Multi-Country Prisoner Swap

 

[Rikissa]

Anyone surprised about this? The Russian accusations and "trial" against the journalist, and other Westerners, was just a show to get back their own jailed people from the US and other western countries. I wonder whom Russia is so keen on getting back to Moscow.

 

[Elley Mae]

Russian Businessman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison in $93 Million Hack-to-Trade Conspiracy

BOSTON – A Russian businessman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his involvement in an elaborate hack-to-trade scheme that netted approximately $93 million through securities trades based on confidential corporate information stolen from U.S. computer networks.

www.justice.gov

…

Russian International Money Launderer Pleads Guilty to Illicitly Procuring Large Quantities of U.S.-Manufactured Dual-Use, Military Grade Microelectronics for Russian Entities

Maxim Marchenko, 51, a Russian citizen who has resided in Hong Kong, pleaded guilty today to charges of money laundering and smuggling goods from the United States. Marchenko was arrested in September 2023.

www.justice.gov

…

BTC-e Operator Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy

A Russian national pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit money laundering related to his role in operating the cryptocurrency exchange BTC-e from 2011 to 2017.

www.justice.gov

…

Suspected Russian Intelligence Operative Extradited from Estonia to Face Charges Related to Providing American-Made Electronics and Ammunition to Russian Military

“As alleged, the defendant was a critical participant in a scheme to provide sensitive, American-made electronics and ammunition in furtherance of Russia’s war efforts and weapons development, violating U.S. export controls, economic sanctions and other criminal statutes,” stated United States...

www.justice.gov

 

[sds71]

The Turkish presidency says the historic prisoner exchange involved 26 people and seven countries.

The 26 people included 24 adults and two children. Ten people, including 2 children, were transferred to the Russia side, 13 to Germany, and three to the US.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819019932757336485

 

[Elley Mae]

Off topic but was this necessary? Poor child.

MSN

 

[Rikissa]

Besides Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, both Alsu Kurmacheva (post #2) and German medic Rigo Krieger (sentenced in Belarus to death) were among those released, as well as several Russian anti-Putin polititians.

The man Putin most wanted released seems to have been Vadim Krasikov, a Russian hitman sentenced to 16 years in jail in Germany for the murder of a Russian opposition leader.

Vadim Krasikov: who is Russian hitman linked to Navalny prisoner swap claim?

Allies of Russian opposition leader say he was killed to thwart exchange with FSB colonel jailed in Germany

www.theguardian.com

 

[Elley Mae]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/01/russia-prisoner-swap-people-released/

 

[sds71]

x.com
Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan after being released in the prisoner swap with Russia.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819051572267020658

 

[sds71]

@laraseligman


BREAKING: Alexei Navalny, before he died in prison, was supposed to be part of the prisoner swap, Jake Sullivan says

 

[SouthAussie]

Gershkovich reportedly asked Putin for an interview on clemency form

Once a journalist, always a journalist.

"The pro forma printout included a long blank space the prisoner could fill out if desired, or simply, as expected, leave blank," the article reports.

The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview?"

Hugs and tears as Evan Gershkovich and other US citizens return home

Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva are greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in Maryland.

www.bbc.com

 

[sds71]

Journalist Evan Gershkovich lifts his mother, Ella Milman

https://twitter.com/x/status/1819228748316651994

 

[sds71]

A host of Russian dissidents were also freed while in return Moscow got a former FSB colonel convicted of murder as well as several individuals accused of spying or cybercrime.

Here is what we know about who was freed.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/01/world/who-are-detainees-russia-us-prisoner-swap-intl/index.html

 

[Rikissa]

The two children (8 and 11) of the Russian spy couple living in Slovenia had no idea they were Russian. They were born in Argentina, and spoke Spanish and most likely Slovenian, as the family had lived in Slovenia since 2017. Poor children, having lost everything, learning that their lives had been a lie, and never to see their friends again, having to learn a new language and all those other things neccessary to live in a new country.

Russian spies' children learnt their nationality after prisoner swap

The Dultsev children thought they were from Argentina and cannot speak Russian.

www.bbc.com