Two years after his release in a prisoner swap, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is detailing the psychological toll of his nearly 500 days in Russian captivity. In a September 2026 interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), the 34-year-old journalist described experiencing panic attacks, muscle spasms, and sudden mood swings as he struggles to reintegrate into normal life following his imprisonment.
The Aftermath of 500 Days in Russian Captivity
Gershkovich spent the majority of his confinement in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison after being arrested by the Federal Security Service (FSB) in March 2023 during a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg. Accused of espionage—charges consistently denied by Gershkovich—he survived through exercise, meditation, and care packages sent by family and friends. While he avoided physical torture beyond the initial violent arrest where agents hooded and struck him, the mental strain manifested differently after his release.
“I went through prison with this sort of stoic mindset, telling myself I had to control my emotions,” Gershkovich told AFP. “But obviously, all of that built up, and it started gushing out once I got out.” He noted that while he never permitted himself to cry while behind bars, he now cries regularly and experiences recurring nightmares of remaining trapped in a cell so small he could only take six or seven paces.
https://x.com/WSJ/status/2103478819873022344
Reliving the Ordeal in “This Cursed Beautiful Land”
The emotional reckoning was catalyzed by the publication of his new book, This Cursed Beautiful Land, which traces his arrest, detention, and eventual release. Writing the memoir forced Gershkovich to confront memories he had buried to survive his confinement. Paradoxically, the initial weeks of freedom brought an unexpected psychological pull toward his captors’ domain. “In the first few weeks, I had this funny little pinch in my heart, this desire to go back. Because it was something I understood,” he recalled to AFP.
Gershkovich’s case became a focal point for press freedom and international diplomacy following his detention as one of the few foreign journalists remaining in Russia following the start of the war in Ukraine. His release ended an ordeal that began when Russian intelligence agents detained him in a restaurant meeting with a contact who turned out to be an FSB operative.
Keep reading