A major prisoner exchange between Russia and the West is currently taking place, with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich being freed from Russian custody, Bloomberg reported. The exchange also involves the release of the former US marine Paul Whelan, both of whom were accused of espionage by Russian authorities. The swap is set to take place outside of Russia on Thursday, with additional details being kept confidential until after the exchange due to the sensitive nature of the matter.
The prisoner exchange includes the release of Russian political prisoners, as well as individuals jailed in the West for espionage, murder, and other crimes being returned to Russia. As part of the deal, Germany has released Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov, who was serving a life sentence for the murder of a Chechen dissident in Berlin. Belarus has also released a German citizen, Rico Krieger, who was accused of placing explosives on a rail track in Belarus on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence.
One of the figures freed in the exchange is Ilya Yashin, a prominent Russian opposition leader who was serving a sentence for criticizing Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Turkish intelligence agency is coordinating the swap, which involves prisoners from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus. The exchange has been arranged to secure the release of individuals from various countries involved in different criminal activities.
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