Russia spying charges against reporter 'categorically false': WSJ

“As we’ve said from the beginning, these charges are categorically false.”

Russia's charges of spying filed Friday against Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich are "categorically false," the newspaper said. Moscow formally charged Gershkovich with espionage, Russian news agencies reported Friday.

"We've seen media reports indicating Evan has been charged. As we've said from the beginning, these charges are categorically false and unjustified, and we continue to demand Evan's immediate release," The Wall Street Journal said in a statement.

The charges against Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich are the first of their kind in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union, prompting an outcry from media outlets, rights groups and foreign governments.

Investigators from the FSB, the state security service that succeeded the KGB, “charged Gershkovich with espionage in the interests of his country,” state-run agency TASS said, citing a law enforcement source.

“He categorically denied all accusations and stated that he was engaged in journalistic activities in Russia,” TASS said.