US and Russia carried out a historic prisoner exchange under which, two dozen detainees are being released
President Joe Biden and V-P Kamala Harris greet reporter Evan Gershkovich at Andrews Air Force Base on Friday
US President Joe Biden welcomed the prisoner exchange deal between West and Moscow, which will see the return of four Americans detained in Russia, terming it a “feat of diplomacy.” The United States and Russia carried out a historic prisoner exchange on Thursday, under which, two dozen detainees, including former US Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, are being released, CNN reported.
ADVERTISEMENT
Released reporter Evan Gershkovich speaks with his mother after returning. Pics/AFP
In addition to Whelan and Gershkovich, prominent Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is a US permanent resident, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were also freed. “Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza,” President Biden said in a statement.
“The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia--including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.
Swap shows how journalists risk being used as bargaining chips
The photo of returning prisoners in an American plane, all grinning from ear to ear, says it all: the joy, the relief and the success of an incredibly complicated mission. The freeing of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, former US Marine Paul Whelan and a host of others is the biggest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War. In all, 26 people from seven different countries were freed in a mindbogglingly complex agreement that took years to negotiate.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
