Polygraph

Evan Gershkovich moved to Russia in late 2017.

Posted by The Bulwark Daily, Checked

Polygraph verdictTrue
Sources
4 support2 context
Said
1 time·
Confidence
92%
The Bulwark DailySep 29, 2026
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Multiple sources, including Reuters and Gershkovich's own recorded remarks in a UCLA lecture transcript, state that he moved to Russia (Moscow) in late 2017, so the claim holds. The claim's referent matches the passage, where "I" is Gershkovich, and no source contradicts the timing.

What was said

… It was launched in 1992, and it's an amazing independent outlet that, you know, tons of foreign correspondents went through. They were looking for a reporter. I applied, moved to Russia in late 2017, so I'm 25 at this point, about to turn 26, and Putin had been, you know, in charge of this country now for 18 years at this point. He had, you know, already invaded Ukraine. You know, Russian journalists had faced increasing pressure at this point. …
The Bulwark Daily · · from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Supports. Reuters reports that Gershkovich moved to Moscow in late 2017 to join the English-language Moscow Times.[1]

Supports. In the UCLA Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture transcript, Gershkovich says "I moved to Russia in late 2017," directly matching the claim.[2]

Supports. CNBC and Vox both report that he moved to Russia or Moscow in 2017 to work for the Moscow Times before later joining AFP and the Wall Street Journal.[3][4]

Context. Some sources give only the year 2017 without the month, but none places the move at a different time, so the late-2017 detail is consistent with the record.[5][6]

Sources

6 sources: 1 fact-checker, 1 primary, 2 tier 2, 2 not rated

  1. 1Who is Evan Gershkovich, the American reporter arrested ...reuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
  2. 2The 2026-27 Daniel Pearl Memorial Lectureinternational.ucla.edu · primary source · cited for: supports
  3. 3Why Russia has kept a Wall Street Journal reporter in jail for a year — and countingvox.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
  4. 4Russia charges Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich with ...cnbc.com · not rated · cited for: supports
  5. 5Sister of Evan Gershkovich discusses fight to free him from Russian detentionpbs.org · tier 2 · cited for: context
  6. 6U.S. journalist marks a year in a Russian prison as courts ...mprnews.org · not rated · cited for: context

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