- The Washington Times - Tuesday, July 4, 2023

The Kremlin acknowledged for the first time Tuesday that “contacts” with U.S. officials have begun over jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, imprisoned since March on what the Biden administration says are bogus charges of espionage.

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was allowed to make a consular visit to the jailed journalist Monday amid speculation of a possible swap for Vladimir Dunaev, a Russian citizen in custody in Ohio on cybercrime charges.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the discussions but declined to offer details.

“We have said that there have been certain contacts on the subject, but we don’t want them to be discussed in public,” Mr. Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. “They must be carried out and continue in complete silence.”

The reticence fits the Russian pattern — a similar swap of WNBA star Brittney Griner for Russian arms deal Viktor Bout in December was only confirmed by the Kremlin shortly before it was carried out.

Mr. Gershkovich was seized in the city of Yekaterinburg while on a reporting trip to Russia. He is being held at Moscow’s infamous Lefortovo prison, and has been ordered held in custody by a Moscow court through at least Aug. 30.

He is the first accredited American journalist working in Russia to be charged with espionage in nearly 40 years.

Nadezhda Shumova, the head of the Russian Embassy’s consular section, told the official TASS news agency that Mr. Dunaev was also granted a consular visit from a Russian diplomat for the first time since his arrest in 2021.

• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.

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