Russia frees WSJ's Gershkovich in global prisoner swap deal involving 24
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The news: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan were among 24 prisoners exchanged in an historic swap an historic prisoner swap involving Russia, the US and five other nations. The exchange took place at Turkey’s Ankara airport, Turkish officials said.
The numbers: Moscow released 16 prisoners that also included Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian American radio editor arrested last year, and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. In return, 8 Russians held in the West were sent home.
Gershkovich had been detained in Russia since March 2023 for spying charges he, his employer and the US government vehemently denied. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison last year. Whelan had been arrested in 2018.
Among the Russian prisoners released in return are Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin who German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed to release as part of the deal. Alexander Vinnik, a Russian held in the United States, is also reportedly included in the swap.
The context: The deal is the most significant exchange between Russia and the West in decades and is a diplomatic win for US President Joe Biden, who has championed the return of imprisoned Americans and support for pro-democracy movements in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin will also likely gain a political boost from showcasing support for detained Russian agents.
What they said: “The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy,” Biden said. “Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.”
The sources: Reuters, Associated Press
