Paul Whelan, Wrongfully Detained U.S. Marine, Expresses Concern Over Arrest of Wall Street Journal Reporter in Russia

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine wrongfully detained in Russia since December 2018, has expressed his concern that he could be left behind again with the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. In a phone interview from prison, Whelan told CNN that his family shares “an extreme worry” about his situation, but he remains confident that the Biden administration is working hard for his release.

Whelan was not included in the prisoner swaps that freed former Marine Trevor Reed and WNBA star Brittney Griner last year. However, he has received assurances from the U.S. government that they are focusing their efforts on getting him home before they can focus on Gershkovich’s case.

Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and is also designated by the U.S. as wrongfully detained. He is the first American journalist to be arrested in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has condemned the arrest of Gershkovich and called for his immediate release. The embassy also called for the release of Whelan and other wrongfully detained Americans in Russia.

The Biden administration has yet to comment on the situation, but Whelan remains hopeful that he will be released soon. He said he is “positive and confident on a daily basis that the wheels are turning.”