YEKATERINBURG, July 19. /TASS/. Prosecutors asked the court to sentence Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 18 years in a maximum-security prison on charges of espionage against Russia, a court spokesman said.

"During the closing arguments, the prosecution requested a sentence of 18 years to be served in a maximum-security prison," the spokesman said.

Earlier, the Sverdlovsk Regional Court held two sessions in the case behind closed doors before hearing closing arguments on Friday.

The Russian Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, said that Gershkovich, collected information constituting a state secret about a Russian defense industry enterprise on orders from the US. The reporter was detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg in March last year.