White House: We Don’t Have Access to WSJ Reporter Detained by Russia

[mystery-ak]

White House: We Don’t Have Access to WSJ Reporter Detained by Russia

Ian Hanchett 31 Mar 2023

On Friday’s broadcast of CNN International’s “Amanpour,” White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said the United States government has not been able to get access to Evan Gershkovich, the reporter for The Wall Street Journal detained in Russia.

Kirby answered, “Sadly, no, Bianna, we have not been able to achieve consular access. Nobody from our embassy has been able to meet with him. We are continuing to work on that, of course, and will, until we can get that consular access to ascertain for ourselves how he’s doing and make sure that we have that connection. But no, we haven’t been able to gain access to him at this time.”

Golodryga then asked, “So, there’s no engagement with Evan, no update or status as to where he is and how he is doing?”

Kirby responded, “I’m afraid not. We’re doing the best we can to get information from the Russian government, obviously, as much as we can. And we have been in touch with the family through the State Department, and we’ll continue those lines of communication. But right now, I just don’t have much to update you on.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/03/31/white-house-we-dont-have-access-to-wsj-reporter-detained-by-russia/

[mountaineer]

In other words, they'll get around to it whenever they get around to it. Maybe.

[mystery-ak]

WaPo’s Tumulty: Russia Detained WSJ Reporter Because Putin Thinks Griner Swap ‘Really Worked out in Their Favor’

Ian Hanchett 31 Mar 2023

On Friday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Washington Post columnist and Deputy Editorial Page Editor Karen Tumulty said that Russia’s “appalling” detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich earlier in the week took place because Vladimir Putin “made a calculation” that Russia’s detention of Brittney Griner “really worked out in their favor. They released her, and they got a really bad guy back” in the subsequent prisoner swap where the United States released arms dealer Viktor Bout in order to obtain Griner’s release by Russia.

Tumulty stated that the detainment of Gershkovich “speaks to the way [Putin] is treating dissidents and critics in the country.”

She continued, “It is appalling, because there is absolutely no evidence of espionage. But I do think that he made a calculation that the whole Brittney Griner — the basketball player — situation really worked out in their favor. They released her, and they got a really bad guy back. So, I just don’t know how the Biden administration handles this, but I think all of us need to keep attention on this and to continue to demand, as loud as we can, that he be released, because there is no evidence of espionage.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/03/31/wapos-tumulty-russia-detained-wsj-reporter-because-putin-thinks-griner-swap-really-worked-out-in-their-favor/