Russia says dual national California woman arrested over suspected treason for helping Ukraine’s armed forces

Moscow — Russia’s FSB security services said on Tuesday it had arrested a woman with dual U.S.-Russian nationality who was suspected of treason for raising funds for the Ukrainian army. The FSB in the central Urals city of Yekaterinburg said it had “suppressed the illegal activities” of a 33-year-old woman, whom it identified only as dual … Read more

Putin signals he’s open to prisoner swap for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s release

Washington — Russian President Vladimir Putin said “an agreement can be reached” with the U.S. to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been detained for nearly one year on unsubstantiated espionage charges.  Putin was asked by former Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson in an interview this week if he would release Gershkovich, who … Read more

Biden meets with Paul Whelan’s sister after Russia rejects offer to free him

Washington — President Biden on Wednesday met with the sister of Paul Whelan, who the U.S. considers to be wrongfully detained in Russia following his arrest on espionage charges in 2018. Elizabeth Whelan had been seeking a meeting with the president for months as her family presses the Biden administration to do more to secure … Read more

Russia says it’s detained U.S. citizen Robert Woodland on drug charges that carry possible 20 year sentence

Paul Whelan pleads with Biden to secure release Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia, issues plea to Biden: “He’s the man that can bring me home” 02:12 Russia has detained and brought drug-related charges that carry a potential 20 year prison sentence against a U.S. citizen identified as Robert Romanov Woodland, a Moscow court said Tuesday. … Read more

12/25: CBS Evening News – CBS News

12/25: CBS Evening News – CBS News Watch CBS News Israel launches barrage of airstrikes on Gaza; South Carolina mechanic reaches a milestone in kindness Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On FOLLOW US ON GOOGLE NEWS Read original article here Denial … Read more

Paul Whelan, imprisoned in Russia for yet another Christmas, issues plea to Biden: “He’s the man that can bring me home”

Washington — It was the eve of Paul Whelan’s fifth Christmas behind bars in Russia when a call came through to a reporter at CBS affiliate WTOP-TV in Washington, D.C., on Sunday. “I feel alone,” Whelan told the reporter. “I feel that I’ve been left behind.”  It was a desperate plea from the 53-year-old former … Read more

“They’ve left me behind,” American Paul Whelan says from Russian prison after failed bid to secure release

Paul Whelan, an American who’s been imprisoned in Russia for 5 years on espionage charges that both he and the U.S. government dismiss as baseless, has said it’s “unfathomable” that the Biden administration has “left me behind” while other Americans have been freed in prisoner swaps. Whelan told CBS News’ partner network BBC News in … Read more

Putin says at news conference he hopes to “find a solution” on Americans Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was in talks with the United States over detained Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan. In his end-of-year news conference on Thursday, Putin said he hoped to “find a solution” even though “it’s not easy.” His comments come after the U.S. State Department said last week that Russia had … Read more

Russia rejected “significant proposal” for Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan’s release, U.S. says

Washington — The U.S. recently made a “new and significant” proposal to Russia for the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and businessman Paul Whelan, but Moscow declined the offer, the State Department said Tuesday.  “In recent weeks, we made a new and significant proposal to secure Paul and Evan’s release,” State Department … Read more