American journalists Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who were wrongfully imprisoned in Russia on false espionage and other charges, landed in the country yesterday after their release.
A big deal
The WSJ is calling the exchange “the largest and most complex East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War.”
Greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their return, the prisoner releases followed a monthslong, multinational effort involving secret meetings and complex negotiations.
Negotiations mainly involved the US, Russia, Belarus, Germany and Turkey.
The deal depended on the release of a Russian assassin, Vadim Krasikov. In all, the exchange saw the release of 26 people, including three Americans.