Russia talks prisoner swap in Evan Gershkovich’s case

Russia may consider releasing jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as part of a prisoner exchange — but only after he is put on trial and a judge delivers a verdict in his espionage case, a senior Moscow official said.

“The question of an exchange could only be considered after the court issues its verdict specifically in a given case, on given charges,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Russian state news agency TASS Thursday.

Ryabkov explained that talks about a possible exchange could take place through a dedicated channel that Russian and US security agencies established for such purposes.

“We have a working channel that was used in the past to achieve concrete agreements, and these agreements were fulfilled,” the diplomat said, purportedly referring to WNBA star Brittney Griner’s exchange for arms trafficker Viktor Bout in December.

At the same time, Ryabkov accused the Wall Street Journal of “escalating the situation from one day to the next,” after the publication launched the “#IStandWithEvan” social media campaign demanding his immediate release.

Gershkovich, 31, was arrested on March 29 in the city of Yekaterinburg, accused of trying to obtain classified information about a military factory — a claim both his employer and the US government have categorically denied.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday designated Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained,” signaling that the Biden administration considers the charges against the journalist to be baseless.

President Biden, who previously called on Russia to release the journalist, spoke to his parents Tuesday and again condemned his detention.

“We’re making it real clear that it’s totally illegal what’s happening, and we declared it so,” Biden said.

Roger Carstens, Washington’s hostage envoy, vowed Wednesday to do “whatever it takes” to bring home Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction in Russia.

On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov again repeated the claim that Gershkovich had been caught “red-handed” — but he denied reports that President Vladimir Putin had personally approved his arrest.

“It’s not the president’s prerogative. It’s up to the special services, who are doing their job,” Peskov told reporters.

With Post wires