In the statement made by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), it was announced that Evan Gershkovich, the correspondent of the Moscow bureau of the US-based The Wall Street Journal, which is accredited to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was detained.

"The illegal activities of Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen suspected of spying on behalf of the US government and a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal's Moscow office and accredited to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have been halted," the statement said.

It was emphasized that Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg by order of the USA, collecting confidential information about the activities of one of his enterprises in the Russian military-industrial complex.

Russian media stated that 32-year-old Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison for espionage, while The Wall Street Journal has not yet made a statement.