Russia and the United States completed a historic prisoner swap involving 24 individuals, marking the largest post-Soviet exchange between the two countries.
Among those released were American journalist Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and dissidents such as Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a deal that addressed espionage charges, spreading false information and other politically motivated allegations.
The big picture: The release of American prisoners came at a cost, with Russia securing the freedom of its nationals convicted of serious crimes in the West by exchanging them for Western individuals convicted in Russia’s highly politicized legal system.
- Notable individuals exchanged included Vadim Krasikov, two alleged sleeper agents from Slovenia and individuals charged in the U.S., such as convicted hacker Roman Seleznev and suspected Russian intelligence operative Vadim Konoshchenok.
Flashback: This 24-prisoner exchange dwarfed a prior 14-person deal in 2010, involving spies and double agents, signaling a substantial breakthrough in international negotiations.
