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US ambassador visits journalist Gershkovich in Russia

"Evan is in good health and remains in good spirits," Lynne Tracy said

MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. US Ambassador to Moscow Lynne Tracy has visited Evan Gershkovich, a journalist for The Wall Street Journal who is accused of spying in Russia, at the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center, the US embassy said.

"Today I visited <…> American journalist Evan Gershkovich where he is being held in Lefortovo Prison. Evan is in good health and remains in good spirits," she said in a statement.

It was reported earlier in the day that the Moscow City Court had dismissed an appeal asking that Gershkovich’s detention be shortened. The court told TASS that the journalist would be remanded in custody until March 30, 2024.

According to the FSB Public Relations Center, Gershkovich, "acting at the behest of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of an enterprise within Russia’s military-industrial complex." Gershkovich was detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg in late March. He was charged with espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code.

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