A significant prisoner exchange involving the United States, Russia, and four European nations is currently taking place in Ankara, confirmed by the Turkish presidency. Among those believed to be released are three American citizens imprisoned in Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, ex-Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
The exchange is set to involve at least 24 prisoners in total, with eight Russian nationals expected to be returned to Russia. This includes several individuals suspected of having connections to Russian intelligence agencies.
One notable figure among those being returned is Vadim Krasikov, a colonel in Russia’s FSB intelligence service, who is serving a life sentence for the 2019 murder of a Kremlin opponent in Berlin. Reports indicate he has boarded a plane to Ankara.
This swap arises amid heightened speculation about significant prisoner exchanges, particularly following the relocation of several dissidents and journalists from Russian prisons to undisclosed locations. Among those fueling rumors is Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic with both Russian and British citizenship, whose current location remains unknown.
Potentially included in the exchange are Russian opposition leader Ilya Yashin and veteran human rights advocate Oleg Orlov. Though secret prison transfers are not uncommon in Russia, the unusual “disappearances” of such high-profile prisoners have raised eyebrows.
In a related development, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko recently pardoned German citizen Rico Krieger, who had previously received a death sentence for terrorism-related charges.
If all intended releases occur, this exchange could mark one of the largest between Russia and Western nations in history. The last significant high-profile swap happened in December 2022, when US basketball star Brittney Griner was exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout at Abu Dhabi airport. The last comparable event before this occurred in Vienna in 2010, involving 10 Russian spies traded for four alleged double agents.
The backdrop of this exchange is an ongoing period of heightened tensions between Moscow and the West, further exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
