Getty PhotographsThree Individuals, together with Wall Avenue Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been freed in a prisoner change settlement with Russia, have returned to U.S. soil.
Gershkovic, 32, was one in all 16 prisoners exchanged with eight Russian prisoners in what has been known as the most important change between Russia and the West because the finish of the Chilly Struggle.
The Turkish airport change additionally included the discharge of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American journalist Arsu Kurmasheva.
After touchdown at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Gershkovic, Kurmasheva and Whelan stepped out of the airplane to cheers on the tarmac.
ReutersAll three had been greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris earlier than hugging their households.
Forward of their return, Mr Biden welcomed their launch, declaring: “Their brutal ordeal is over.”
He praised the function of U.S. allies, particularly Germany and Slovenia, and praised Whelan, Gershkovic, Kurmasheva and the Kremlin’s main critic Vladimir Karamur Zha’s launch was a “diplomatic feat”.
The three launched Individuals can be despatched to Brooke Military Medical Heart in Texas for medical examinations.
The deal, which has been within the works for greater than 18 months, seems to hinge on Moscow’s demand for Vadim Krasikov’s repatriation. life imprisonment.
He’s now again in Russia.
The Turkish president mentioned Ankara exchanged a complete of 26 prisoners from prisons in seven totally different international locations.
The prisoners come from the USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, the assertion mentioned.
Ten individuals, together with two minors, had been transferred to Russia, 13 prisoners to Germany and three to the USA, the assertion added.
American authoritiesIn Russia, President Vladimir Putin personally laid flowers to the launched Russians at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.
President Putin warmly embraced them on the crimson carpet and mentioned he would award them nationwide awards.
These returning to Moscow embrace Krasikov, an intelligence officer imprisoned in Germany for killing a former Chechen insurgent commander, and a Russian couple convicted of espionage in Slovenia , they returned to Russia with their two youngsters.
NATO and the European Union each welcomed the discharge, which they mentioned was brokered by Türkiye.
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