US urges release of WSJ reporter, Russia sees politicization

FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a joint news conference with Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada following their meeting in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who Russia accuses of spying, in a call on Sunday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said Washington should not politicize the case.

Russia's FSB security service said on Thursday it had arrested Gershkovich, accusing him of gathering information about a Russian defence company that was a state secret.