More than a dozen individuals, including Americans, are set to be released from Russia on Thursday in one of the most significant and intricate prisoner exchanges in U.S. history, according to a senior administration official and a source familiar with the operation.
The specifics of the swap are not yet clear. Among the Americans held in Russia are journalists Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, as well as former Marine Paul Whelan. German national Rico Krieger, who had been sentenced to death in Belarus, is among several Germans held by Russia.
In exchange, Moscow will receive several Russians imprisoned in various countries. Gershkovich and Whelan, who were detained in Russia on espionage charges that both they and the U.S. government deny, are on their way to locations outside of Russia. Under the deal, the U.S. and its allies will return prisoners to Russia, although specific details are not yet public.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March of the previous year while reporting in Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the CIA, an allegation he and his newspaper have denied. He was convicted last month and sentenced to 16 years, marking the first time since the Cold War that a U.S. journalist has faced espionage charges in Russia.
Whelan, who has been held since 2018, was sentenced to 16 years in 2020 on spying charges he also denies.
