Biggest Russia-West exchange since Cold War sees 24 prisoners freed

The biggest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War era took place earlier on Thursday, with 24 people released in total, the US has confirmed. The White House said 16 prisoners had been freed and were on their way back to Europe and the US.

Among them is Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gersh-kovich. In return, eight Russian prisoners have been released from prisons in the US, Norway, Germany, Poland and Slovenia, including individuals accused of intelligence activities.

The swap took place on the runway at the Ankara airport earlier on Thursday. President Joe Biden has confirmed US Marine veteran Paul Whelan, Russian-American journalist Alsu Kur-ma-sheva and Russian-British activist Vladimir Kara-Murza – who has a US green card – are also on their way back to the US. The deal had been more than 18 months in the making and appears to have hinged on Moscow’s demand for the return of Vadim Kra-si-kov. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, along with a guard of honour, met the returning Russians at Moscow’s  airport.