Kremlin: Russian President Putin did not approve the arrest of a US journalist

On Thursday, the Kremlin refuted reports claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally authorized the arrest of Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal who is currently held in Moscow on spying charges.

Bloomberg had cited sources “familiar with the situation,” who claimed that Putin approved the arrest.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the claims, stating that the security services are responsible for such decisions.

Gershkovich, detained in Yekaterinburg, has been held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, and Moscow has yet to grant him consular access.

The charges carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.

The US State Department has demanded access to Gershkovich, and US President Joe Biden has described the journalist’s imprisonment as “totally illegal.”