US government 'pushing hard' for release of US reporter held in Russia

The US government is "pushing hard" for the release of a Wall Street Journal reporter being held in Russia, the White House has said. 
Evan Gershkovich has been accused of gathering information about a Russian defence company, Russia's FSB security service said on Thursday.
Earlier (14.09 post) we reported that Mr Gershkovich is apparently planning to appeal.

"We have been pushing hard since the moment we found out the reporter was detained," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. 
"We have no illusions that it's going to take a lot of hard work. That doesn't mean we're going to shy away from it." 

The US is "keenly, strongly, closely" tracking his detention, Mr Kirby added. 
"We will do everything we can to get Evan home and Paul Whelan," Mr Kirby said, referring to the former US Marine serving a 16-year jail sentence in Russia on charges of espionage, which he and the United States deny.