Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American journalist, has gone on trial in Russia on espionage charges, becoming the first American journalist to face such charges since the Cold War. Gershkovich, who was reporting for a major news outlet, was arrested in March 2023 while covering the war in Ukraine. He has been accused of spying for the CIA, a charge vehemently denied by him, the US government, and his employer.
The trial, which began with Gershkovich appearing in a glass cage in a Russian courtroom, is expected to last for months. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. The trial has drawn attention to the strained relations between Russia and the United States in the wake of the Ukraine conflict.
