By Trend News Line 2024-03-26 08:36:17.
US Ambassador in Moscow Lynne Tracy has strongly condemned Russia’s continued detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, accusing the Kremlin of using him as a pawn to achieve political goals. Tracy, quoted by Reuters, emphasized that Gershkovich’s case is not about evidence or due process but rather about manipulating American citizens for political ends, pointing to the similar treatment of American citizen Paul Whelan who was convicted of spying in Russia in 2018.
Gershkovich, who was arrested in Ekaterinburg a year ago, has faced repeated extensions of his pre-trial detention with no trial date set. Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin hinting at a possible prisoner exchange for Gershkovich, no such deal has materialized. The charges against Gershkovich, including spying, have been vehemently denied by him, his paper, and the US government.
In other news, tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate as Ukrainian security officers detained two individuals suspected of acting on behalf of Russia in an attempt to blow up a strategic rail line used for supplying weapons to Ukraine’s war effort. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) revealed that the detainees, caught red-handed, were allegedly working under the orders of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to disrupt Ukrainian logistics routes.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has refused to confirm any links between Ukraine and the recent deadly attack on a Moscow concert hall, which claimed the lives of at least 139 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin has attributed the attack to radical Islamists, while US officials suggest the involvement of the Afghan branch of Islamic State (Isis-K). Eight suspects from Central Asian republics have been detained in connection with the attack.
As the situation in Eastern Europe remains volatile, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Western allies to provide Patriot air defence missiles to help Ukraine repel Russian forces. Kuleba emphasized the urgent need for such systems to protect Ukrainian lives and infrastructure from destruction amidst ongoing missile strikes by Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has echoed these sentiments, urging for more support from the West to counter Russia’s aggression.
The developments surrounding Evan Gershkovich’s detention, the Moscow concert hall attack, and the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine underscore the fragile state of affairs in the region. With diplomatic efforts underway and calls for international assistance growing louder, the situation remains fluid and uncertain as both sides navigate through a complex geopolitical landscape..
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Kremlin using Gershkovich as a ‘pawn to achieve political ends’, says US Ukraine.