WASHINGTON — In a landmark move, the United States and Russia completed their largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Soviet Union on Thursday. The deal saw Moscow release journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with several dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, freeing a total of 24 people.
Gershkovich, Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva—a journalist with dual U.S.-Russia citizenship—landed in the U.S. just before midnight, where they were warmly welcomed by their families. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also present to greet them.
The swap occurred despite the deteriorated relations between Washington and Moscow, which have reached their lowest point since the Cold War following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Negotiators explored including Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in the deal, but after his death in February, a broader agreement was reached. This involved significant concessions from European allies, including the release of a Russian assassin, in exchange for journalists, suspected spies, and political prisoners.
President Biden hailed the exchange as a significant diplomatic success and emphasized the importance of protecting Americans both at home and abroad. The deal, while a major breakthrough, highlights the imbalance often present in such negotiations: the U.S. and its allies releasing individuals convicted of serious crimes in return for Russia freeing journalists and dissidents detained under politically motivated charges.
Under the agreement, Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who had been imprisoned on espionage charges since 2023, was released. His family expressed their eagerness to reunite, and the newspaper’s editor-in-chief called it a “joyous day.” Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive detained since 2018 on similar charges, and Kurmasheva, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist convicted of spreading false information about the Russian military, were also freed.
Dissidents released included Kara-Murza, a Kremlin critic serving a 25-year sentence for treason, and several associates of Alexei Navalny. Additionally, Russia received Vadim Krasikov, convicted in Germany for a 2019 murder, and other individuals, including alleged sleeper agents and suspects charged with various crimes in the U.S. and European countries.
Biden emphasized the importance of international alliances in achieving such agreements, underscoring the complex and often difficult nature of diplomatic negotiations.
