Agony is over : Russia frees US reporter in major prisoner swap with West

AFP | Washington

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich and a Russian intelligence colonel jailed for a Berlin murder were among two dozen prisoners freed yesterday in the biggest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War. The prisoners were flown to Turkey’s capital Ankara from Russia, the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Belarus under the complex deal, the Turkish presidency said.

In total, 10 Russians - including two minors - were exchanged for 16 Westerners and Russians imprisoned in Russia, said a statement released by the Turkish presidency. Overjoyed family members appeared in the White House alongside President Joe Biden, who said they’d been able to phone their freed loved ones from the Oval Office. Hailing a “feat of diplomacy,” Biden said US allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey “stood with us.”

‘Bold and brave decisions’ “They made bold and brave decisions” to release Russians held for espionage and other crimes in return for the Westerners and Russian dissidents and human rights activists, he 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,” Biden said. He described their convictions in Russia as “show trials.” Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were to greet the freed prisoners at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington later in the day. Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and close ally of current leader Vladimir Putin, celebrated the return of Russians who he said had “worked for the Fatherland.”

‘Overwhelmed with relief’

The Wall Street Journal said it was “overwhelmed with relief” at the release of Gershkovich, 32, who was detained in Russia in March 2023 and sentenced in July to 16 years in prison on spying charges that were denounced by the United States. Paul Whelan, a former US marine detained since 2018, also flew to Ankara. Another American, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian with US residency, were likewise freed.

Opposition politician Ilya Yashin and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-Briton with US residency, who had both been jailed for criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, were among the Kremlin opponents released. Yashin will go to Germany with 11 other German nationals and Russians, according to the US administration.

They included Rico Krieger, a German who was sentenced to death in Belarus on espionage charges before a reprieve this week. Among those returned to Moscow was Vadim Krasikov, a Russian intelligence agent imprisoned in Germany for killing a former Chechen rebel commander in a brazen assassination.