Historic Russia-West Prisoner Swap: Gershkovich and Whelan
Freed
In a monumental East-West prisoner exchange, U.S. journalist
Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released by Russia on Thursday.
This complex deal, negotiated in secrecy for over a year, marks the largest
exchange since the end of the Cold War.
The White House confirmed the negotiations involved multiple
countries and resulted in eight Western-held prisoners returning to Russia.
Germany identified one of them as Vadim Krasikov, convicted of murdering an
exiled dissident in Berlin.
President Joe Biden lauded the agreement as "a feat of
diplomacy and friendship," crediting allies for their "bold and brave
decisions." He emphasized the importance of international cooperation,
stating, "Today is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in
this world."
Turkey, which coordinated the exchange, reported that 10
individuals, including two children, were sent to Russia, 13 to Germany, and
three to the United States. Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Belarus also
participated in the swap.
A Russian government aircraft was seen taking off from
Ankara by a Reuters reporter. The Kremlin justified its decision to pardon and
release prisoners as a means to repatriate Russian captives.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, known for his
support of Russia's actions in Ukraine, was scathing in a Telegram post, urging
"traitors" to seek new identities and protection.
This exchange surpasses the notable 2010 swap of 14
prisoners and follows the December 2022 exchange of U.S. basketball star
Brittney Griner for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Krasikov, a Russian FSB colonel serving a life sentence in
Germany, was among those released. Russian President Vladimir Putin had
expressed a desire to bring Krasikov back, with the German government
acknowledging the difficulty of this decision.
Also freed were Rico Krieger, a German sentenced to death in
Belarus for terrorism, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-British dissident
imprisoned for treason. Kara-Murza, a vocal critic of Putin's actions in
Ukraine, was released alongside human rights activist Oleg Orlov and opposition
politician Ilya Yashin. Many had affiliations with Alexei Navalny, a prominent
opposition figure who died under suspicious circumstances in an Arctic penal
colony.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's widow, celebrated the releases as
"a great happiness" and a victory against political imprisonment.
Despite the historic nature of the exchange, U.S. officials
indicated it does not signify a broader thaw in U.S.-Russia relations, which
have deteriorated sharply due to the Ukraine conflict. The released individuals
from the U.S. included Roman Seleznev, Vladislav Klyushin, and Vadim
Konoshchenok, all considered by Moscow as dangerous extremists.
The Wall Street Journal's Editor in Chief, Emma Tucker,
expressed gratitude to President Biden for securing Gershkovich's release,
highlighting the joy of his safe return.
