The US journalist who became Putin's political prisoner - with Evan Gershkovich

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In 2023, US journalist Evan Gershkovich was meeting a source when he was arrested by Russia's spy agency, the FSB. He became the first Western reporter to be held on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War.

It would take 16 months before he was released in a historic prisoner swap brokered by the-then US president Joe Biden - and he is now telling his story.

He speaks to Yalda about how the atmosphere in Russia changed for journalists, as the state tightened media controls over the war in Ukraine.

And he takes us back to the moment of his arrest, which he describes as being lured into a trap in a classic sting operation.

He also explains what life was like among political prisoners inside Moscow's notorious Lefortovo jail - and why asking Russian President Vladimir Putin for an interview on his release was an act of defiance.

You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk. You can also watch our podcasts on the Sky News app and on our YouTube channel here.

(c) Sky News 2026: The US journalist who became Putin's political prisoner - with Evan Gershkovich