Russia released video for the first time today of the arrests of US journalist Evan Gershovitch and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, who were convicted of “espionage”, days after their release in a prisoner swap between Moscow and the West .

Evan Gershovitch and Paul Whelan, who deny the “espionage” charges against them, as does the US, were freed by Russia on August 1 in the biggest prisoner swap between Moscow and the West since Cold War.

The videos, the authenticity of which AFP could not verify, were mainly shown by state broadcaster RT.

In one of them, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich can be seen sitting in a restaurant in Yekaterinburg (Urals) next to a person they are talking to.

In an audio clip that appears to accompany this video, the American journalist, now 32, asks, in Russian, his source: “How is this going to be done in the best way?”

His interlocutor, who can be heard answering with his voice distorted, assures: “Everything you asked, I did. I have it with me.” Before adding: “The only thing I ask is: Be careful, as it is classified information.”

Gerskovich then tries to reassure his interlocutor: “We will not write that we saw the documents. We’ll just say: ‘anonymous sources’, because that way we won’t be suspected of gathering (information) and nobody will be suspected of giving it.”

Another video then shows a group of men rushing into the restaurant towards the American journalist.

Gershkowitz’s source stands up as the group of FSB agents arrive, then one of them, whose face is blurred, violently grabs the journalist from behind. The American lies face down on the floor in handcuffs, an agent presses his knee into his back, before he is forcibly led out.

Another video aired by REN TV, a television network close to the Kremlin, records the arrest of former Marine Paul Whelan in late 2018.

In the footage, Whelan can be seen washing his hands in a toilet, then a person, who appears with his back, gives him a small object, which he places in his pants pocket.

REN TV reports that the item contained “classified information” about the organization of the Russian security services.

Paul Whelan was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison for “espionage”, a charge he denies, before being among the prisoners exchanged on August 1.