Breaking: Putin Releases Americans Gershkovich and Whelan in Prisoner Swap Deal

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In a significant diplomatic development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has released two high-profile American prisoners, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, as part of a prisoner swap deal. The details of the arrangement, including the identities of those exchanged, have not been fully disclosed, but the release follows days of intense speculation.

 

Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security penal colony on espionage charges, was arrested by Russia’s FSB security service in March 2023 during a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg. Accused of gathering secret information about a Russian tank factory for the CIA, Gershkovich's trial was widely condemned by the Wall Street Journal and the Biden administration as a sham.

 

Paul Whelan, arrested in Moscow in 2018 and sentenced in 2020 to 16 years for espionage, was previously a figure in U.S.-Russia prisoner negotiations. His case was highlighted during the December 2022 swap that saw WNBA star Brittney Griner exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. At that time, U.S. officials noted that Russia refused to include Whelan in the deal, with President Joe Biden criticizing Moscow for treating Whelan’s case differently from Griner’s "for totally illegitimate reasons." Despite this, Biden vowed to continue efforts to bring Whelan home.

 

Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist involved in the recent negotiations, described the swap as "bittersweet," acknowledging the release of individuals imprisoned on "insane charges" while also noting that the deal reinforces Putin’s strategy of using prisoners as "swap capital" to reclaim Russian operatives.

 

In addition to Gershkovich and Whelan, the swap may involve Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-British activist and journalist imprisoned since April 2023. Kara-Murza’s potential inclusion has been the subject of discussions within the UK government, although Britain does not typically engage in prisoner swaps. Some MPs have urged the Foreign Office to lobby the U.S. for his release, but it remains uncertain if these efforts will be successful, as negotiations with Russia are notoriously challenging.

 

The release of Gershkovich and Whelan marks a notable moment in U.S.-Russia relations, reflecting ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve high-stakes prisoner cases despite strained ties between the two countries.

 

This is an updating story.

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph  2024-08-01

 

 

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[Tug]

I hope this is true!

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Update:

 

 

[pegman]

Good for them. When I think of a Russian prison I think of similar conditions to the Bangkok Hilton. Funny how these people are never admitted to be spies by the American government. $100 billion a year budgeted for intelligence but nobody's a spy. If so the WSJ guy who was caught in a city where tanks are manufactured was sent on a fools errand. He was probably under surveillance 24\7.

[Danderman123]

Paul Whelan was apprehended during the Trump administration.

 

I guess Trump was too busy to get him released.