Russia Outraged After U.S. Denied Russian Journalists Visas, Says 'Will Not Forgive' Incident

Russia accused the U.S. of denying Russian journalists visas to visit the country and cover Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's chairmanship of the United Nations Security Council in New York.

The minister then promised that Moscow "will not forget and will not forgive" the incident, according to The Hill.

Lavrov noted in a translated statement shared by Russia's Foreign Ministry that the U.S., which described itself as "the strongest," "the smartest," and "the freest," just acted in a "cowardly and stupid fashion."

The Russian journalists involved in the matter were aiming to cover Lavrov's time in New York as Russia assumes the chairmanship of the U.N.'s Security Council.

Lavrov also attacked speech freedoms while Russia has detained Wall Street Journal reported Evan Gershkovich over allegations of espionage, who the U.S. State Department calls wrongfully detained.

U.S. Denying Russian Journalists Visas

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow "will find ways to respond to this," adding that it will serve as a reminder to the Americans "not to do this," as reported by New York Post.

There are heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S. after the former detained a U.S. reporter. It escalated further since Ukraine-Russia, which started when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Yahoo! News reported that one anonymous Russian diplomat noted that Russia will be treating U.S. journalists like the U.S. treated Russian journalists.

The anonymous diplomat went on to say that American journalists will be facing the "full extent of discomfort and inconvenience for themselves."

The same source added that journalists from the United States will be "treated analogously."

Ryabkov said that the United States resorted to another "outrageous, absolutely unacceptable trick" amid the preparations for Lavrov's participation in events marking Russia as the chair of the U.N. Security Council.

Ryabkov said the Russian journalists were to accompany Lavrov, but Americans "pretended that they were working" and there will be a solution soon.

Russia Detaining Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich

State spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement addressing Gershkovich's detention that "journalism is not a crime."

Pantel went on to say that the federal government will be giving the detained reporter and his family the needed support while calling for the Russian Federation to immediately release the Wall Street reporter.

The American journalist was detained on March 29 in the city of Yekaterinburg, with the Russian security service FSB admitting to having picked him up on suspicion of spying, as detailed by The Guardian.

The case of espionage against Gershkovich was denied by him and the Wall Street Journal.

Antony Blinken, State Department Secretary, said he had no doubt about the journalist's innocence.

Meanwhile, National Security Council spokesman, John Kirby, referred questions to the State Department.

The Wall Street Journal reporter was the first American journalist to be detained in Russia on spying charges since the end of the cold war.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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