Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is finally back with his family after spending 491 days in detention in Russia. Before his release, Gershkovich made a bold request to the Russian government: he asked for an interview with President Vladimir Putin.
Gershkovich, who had been held on espionage charges that both he and the U.S. deny, used his clemency request as an opportunity to ask Putin for an interview. The response to this request is still awaited.
His release came as part of a major prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia, the largest since the Cold War. In addition to Gershkovich, the swap also freed former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who had been detained since 2018 on similar charges, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was imprisoned for allegedly spreading false information.
The negotiation for this deal, which involved multiple countries including Germany, Poland, and Norway, was kept highly secret. President Biden praised the international alliances that made the exchange possible.
Gershkovich had been held in harsh conditions, including nearly 24-hour solitary confinement. Despite this, he stayed positive by reading Russian literature and discussing football with his investigator.
The exchange was finalized in Ankara, Turkey, where the freed prisoners were transferred to U.S. custody. NewsCorp CEO Robert Thomson called the release “sublime news,” celebrating the successful and historic diplomatic achievement.