Before his release as part of a historic Russia-US prisoner swap, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich made a daring request to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin. Gershkovich, detained in Russia on espionage charges for over a year, included this request for an interview in his form for presidential clemency, according to the New York Post. The negotiation ended with the release of 24 prisoners, including former marine Paul Whelan and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
Robert Thomson, CEO of NewsCorp (WSJ’s parent company), expressed gratitude for Gershkovich’s release after nearly 500 days in a Russian prison. This swap, the largest since the Cold War, involved sensitive negotiations, including discussions between US President Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. CIA Director William Burns travelled to Turkey to finalize the logistics, which included the release of eight Russian convicts and other prominent Kremlin critics like journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza.
In his first comments after release, Gershkovich highlighted the plight of hundreds of political prisoners still in Russia. During his imprisonment in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, known for housing political prisoners and serious criminals, Gershkovich focused on improving his writing, reading Russian classics, and maintaining communication with family and supporters.
Former US President Donald Trump criticized President Biden’s handling of the swap, questioning whether “murderers, killers, or thugs” were released in exchange. He demanded details on the swap, expressing scepticism about the fairness of the deal on his Truth social account.
