Russia released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan from jail Thursday as part of a major prisoner swap with the U.S. and six other countries involving 26 total detainees, several news outlets reported—ending years of tense negotiations between Russia and the West.
US journalist Evan Gershkovich was accused of espionage and jailed in Russia.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Takeaways
- The prisoner swap was reportedly completed in Ankara, Turkey, and included 24 adults and two children: 10 people—including the two children—were transferred to Russia, 13 were transferred to Germany and three were released to the U.S., CNN reported, citing Turkish authorities.
- The exchange included prisoners held in the U.S., Germany, Poland, Solvenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, The Washington Post reported.
- President Joe Biden—who suggested the deal was a “feat of democracy”—confirmed in a statement that Gershkovich and Whelan were among the detainees released by Russia, in addition to Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison last month, and Russian-British activist Vladimir Kara Murza.
- Russia handed both Whelan and Gerskhovich 16 year jail sentences for spying — the sentences were issued in 2020 and last month, respectively — though both men denied the charges and the U.S. State Department called them wrongly detained, while Kara-Murza was sentenced to a record 25 years in prison on treason and other charges last year.
- Dissident Ilya Yashin and Oleg Orlov, director of the Russian human rights group Memorial, were also released by Russia in the exchange, according to The New York Times and Bloomberg.
- Russia released nine other German nationals, according to CNN: Kevin Lick, Patrick Schoebel, Herman Moyszhes, Liliya Chanysheva, Kseniya Fadeyeva, Vadim Ostanin, Andrey Pivovarov and Sasha Skochilenko.
- German authorities released Vadim Krasikov, a Russian man convicted in Germany for a “state-ordered-murder” in 2019, who Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to as a “patriot,” the Times reported.
- The U.S. reportedly released Vladislav Klyushin, a Russian hacker convicted to nine years in prison in 2023, as well as Roman Seleznev and Vadim Konoschchenock, while Slovenia and Norway released four Russian nationals accused of spying, according to CNN.
- Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency said the agency helped conduct the prisoner exchange in Ankara, according to statements obtained by CNN and Reuters.
What To Watch For
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Whelan, Gershkovich and Kurmasheva are on their way to the U.S. to reunite with their families. He noted the U.S. “will not forget” other prisoners held in Russia, saying “we will not rest until you see your loved ones again.”
Crucial Quote
“Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years,” Biden said in the statement, adding, “All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty.”
Key Background
Speculation of an imminent prisoner swap between Washington and Moscow has grown in recent days amid reports key figures held in Russia had “disappeared” from jails. Gershkovich, who was jailed when reporting in Yekaterinburg in March last year, and Whelan, who was detained in 2018 when attending a wedding in Moscow, are known to be high profile targets for Washington and both were widely reported as likely candidates for any swap.
Surprising Fact
The exchange will reportedly be the biggest prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia since the Cold War.
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