MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has joked about the White House's recent calls for US citizens to immediately leave Russia, saying that they seem to be addressed only to those involved in espionage in favor of Washington.
On Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby urged US citizens to leave Russia, following the detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in the country.
"I believe John forgot to add 'involved in espionage' after the words 'US citizens.' This was probably meant between the lines," Zakharova said on Telegram.
On Wednesday, Gershkovich was detained in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on suspicion of espionage in favor of the United States, the Russian Federal Security Service said, adding that the journalist had collected classified information about the activities of one of Russia's military-industrial complex firms.
On Thursday, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow told Sputnik it had ruled that the reporter be put in pre-trial detention for two months. The Wall Street Journal denies the allegations of espionage.
