Russia and Western countries carry out prisoner exchange

This Thursday the largest event took place prisoner exchange in between Russia y West since the Cold War, with the release of 24 people of various nationalities, according to the United States.

The White House reported that 16 of the released prisoners have returned to Europe and the United Statesincluding Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

In the exchange, they were released Eight Russian citizens from prisons in the United States, Norway, Germany, Poland and Sloveniaamong whom were people accused of intelligence activities.

The exchange took place at the airport in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. In addition to the journalist, two other American citizens were released: the veteran of the Marina Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

«Your hard suffering is over“said the president of USAJoe Biden, while accompanied by some relatives of those released.

Biden described the exchange as a “feat of diplomacy and friendship“, adding that of the 16 prisoners released from Russian prisonsFive were German and seven were Russian citizens who were imprisoned for political reasons in their own country.

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It is anticipated that Eight Russian citizens are repatriated to Russia from the United States, Norway, Slovenia, Poland and Germany, several of whom have alleged ties to Russian intelligence.

Among the Russians believed to have been freed is Vadim Krasikovidentified by German authorities as a colonel of the FSB, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2019 murder of a Kremlin opponent in a park in Berlin.

The journalist was also released in the exchange. Russian-Spanish Pablo Gonzalezwho was transferred to Russia.

German citizen Rico Krieger, who had been sentenced to death in Belarus but later pardoned by the presidente Alexander Lukashenkoas well as Russian political prisoner Ilya Yashin, were also released, the Turkish government said.

The Turkish presidency announced that all prisoners were transferred to secure locations under the supervision of Turkish security officialsand subsequently boarded planes to their respective countries of destination.

The exchange comes after days of speculation about a significant exchange of prisoners between several countriesintensified by the transfer of dissidents and journalists imprisoned in Russia to unknown locations.

Among those possibly released are: Vladimir Kara-Murzaa Kremlin opponent with dual Russian and British citizenship, and the veteran human rights activist Oleg Orlov.