Blinken urges Russia to release two detained Americans

Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich (The Wall Street Journal via AP)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged his Russian counterpart to immediately release a Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained last week – as well as another imprisoned American, the State Department said.

In the call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Mr Blinken conveyed “grave concern” over the Kremlin’s detention of journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage allegations, according to a State Department summary of the call.