A plane carrying US citizens released in a major prisoner exchange with Russia has landed at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C., as reported by the White House during a live broadcast.
Journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, along with former Marine Paul Whelan, were transported from Ankara, where the exchange took place, to the Washington area.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were present at the airfield to welcome the freed citizens, joined by their relatives and colleagues.
The exchange, coordinated by Turkish intelligence, occurred on 1 August in Ankara. The Turkish President’s office stated that the swap involved prisoners from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus. According to Turkish intelligence, 26 prisoners from seven countries were exchanged.
The White House confirmed the release of three US citizens and one green card holder who had been imprisoned in Russia. “This includes former US Marine Paul Whelan, WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, and journalists Alsu Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza,” the White House stated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly signed decrees pardoning 13 prisoners in Russia to facilitate the exchange with Western countries.
Before the exchange, media outlets reported that ten individuals convicted on political charges in Russia had been moved to unknown locations. The list included opposition figure Ilya Yashin, human rights activist Oleg Orlov, and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The disappearance of these prisoners reportedly might indicate an impending exchange for Russians convicted of cyber crimes or espionage in Western countries.
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