Thread by @khodorkovsky_en

Putin's unexpected confession: Why he's holding a Wall Street Journal correspondent captive.

🧵The reason should make anyone think twice before traveling to Russia 1/9

In a startling admission during today’s press conference, Putin acknowledged the detention of The Wall Street Journal’s @evangershkovich was not intended as an act of justice, but to use him as a bargaining chip for a potential exchange.

Gershkovich, an American journalist of Russian descent, was unfairly detained by the FSB in March 2023. He faces baseless espionage charges and has already spent over 250 days in jail for simply doing his job.

The US has been working to secure the freedom of two Americans: Paul Whelan, a former Marine held since 2018, also on questionable espionage charges, and Evan Gershkovich. Despite these efforts, Russia has consistently rebuffed all exchange proposals.

When @VALERIEinNYT brought up the subject of repatriating Whelan and Gershkovich to improve US-Russian relations, Putin's response was dismissive, focusing on an error made by the interpreter, who said he was held “without trial or investigation” (a statement Hopkins never made).

Putin claimed he was ready to repatriate these Americans, but only on “mutually acceptable” terms.

This is a manipulative ploy that demonstrates his regime's propensity to use human lives as leverage in geopolitical games. And it means virtually no foreigner is safe when traveling to Russia, no matter the reason for their visit.

The @WSJ reported earlier that Russia had sought the return of FSB assassin Vadim Krasikov in exchange for Gershkovich. In this context, Putin's mention of "humanitarian considerations" is bitterly ironic, as his actions clearly contradict any genuine humanitarian concern.

The unlawful detention of Evan Gershkovich is not just a legal issue, but a moral one. When the moment comes, our number one goal must be to liberate everyone who has been imprisoned for their work, activism, or political beliefs.