Wall Street Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich has been freed from Russian custody as part of a major exchange that also involved the freeing of several other foreign citizens held in Russia and numerous Russian political prisoners.
Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation said that it “conducted the most extensive prisoner exchange operation of recent times,” on the tarmac in Ankara, exchanging 26 different people held in seven different countries; the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus.
“The prisoner exchange encompassed the exchange of significant figures that have been sought by all parties for a long period,” the organisation stated, naming just five, including Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan who were both jailed in Russia.
Russian opposition politician, Ilya Yashin and German Rico Krieger were also named in the statement.
The Turkish presidency said in a statement that 10 prisoners were relocated to Russia, including two minors, while 13 prisoners left to Germany and three to the US.
In the exchange, which took place at Ankara airport on Thursday, August 1, 2024, afternoon, eight Russians held in the west were freed.
Among them was the Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov, who has been held in a German prison since 2019 for the murder of a Chechen exile in Berlin.
Putin has long made it clear that Krasikov was his No 1 target, which hampered US efforts to free its own prisoners, as Germany was reluctant to give up a prisoner serving time for murder to facilitate a US deal.
U.S President, Joe Biden released a statement about the prisoner exchange.
He called the deal a “feat of diplomacy.”
Biden noted, “Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.”
“All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia—including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country. Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over.”
Joe Biden
Citing Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey, Biden expressed gratitude to allies who “stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome.”
“This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer,” Biden added.
Moreover, the U.S President vowed that he will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family.
“My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.
“Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.”
Joe Biden
Kremlin Hopes “Enemies” Would Stay Away
Commenting on the prisoner exchange, the Kremlin said that it hoped those who had left Russian jails, whom it described as “enemies,” would stay away.
“I believe that all our enemies should stay there [abroad], and all those who are not our enemies should return. That’s my point of view,” the Russian news agency cited Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov as saying.
A possible exchange had been mooted for months, with long discussions behind closed doors involving numerous governments, and few details seeping into the public domain.
Until the final moment, the governments involved tried to keep the location and details of Thursday’s exchange under wraps, fearful of last-minute hitches.
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