President Joe Biden announced a major diplomatic success on Thursday with the release of three American citizens and one American green-card holder from Russia. The release was part of a 24-person prisoner swap, with the freed individuals expected to arrive in the U.S. by nightfall.
“All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over,” Biden stated, confirming that Americans detained in Russia “are safe, free, and have begun their journeys back into the arms of their families.”
After enduring unimaginable suffering and uncertainty, the Americans detained in Russia are safe, free, and have begun their journeys back into the arms of their families. pic.twitter.com/1rYNBTt9tJ
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 1, 2024
Former President Barack Obama praised Biden’s efforts, as well as those of Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. allies, for securing the release. “It’s a tremendous diplomatic achievement, and we’re grateful that they’ll be back home with their families where they belong,” Obama wrote on Twitter.
Thanks to the skill and persistence of @POTUS, @VP, and our allies, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza are being released from Russian custody. It’s a tremendous diplomatic achievement, and we’re grateful that they’ll be back home with their…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 1, 2024
Details of the U.S.-Russia Prisoner Swap
- Evan Gershkovich: A Wall Street Journal reporter detained in March 2023 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on espionage charges. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in July 2024, a trial the U.S. called a “sham.”
- Paul Whelan: A Marine veteran and the longest-held American in Russia, arrested in December 2018 while attending a friend’s wedding. He was sentenced to 16 years for espionage in 2020. “Paul was held hostage for 2,043 days,” the Whelan family said, celebrating his freedom.
- Alsu Kurmasheva: A journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, detained in June 2023 on charges of spreading false information about Russia’s military. She was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. Her husband, Pavel Butorin, expressed relief over her release after over a year of separation.
- Vladimir Kara-Murza: A British-Russian citizen and green card holder known for criticizing the Kremlin. His family resides in the U.S.
While the swap secured these individuals’ freedom, others remain detained in Russia, such as American teacher Marc Fogel and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Gordon Black.
The Largest Swap Since the Cold War
This exchange is one of the largest since the Cold War, with the U.S. releasing eight Russian nationals, including three from U.S. prisons: Vadim Konoshchenok, Vladislav Klyushin, and Roman Seleznyov. Additionally, two Russians held in Slovenia, one in Poland, and one in Norway have been returned to Russia.
This latest swap follows the December 2022 release of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was exchanged for international arms dealer Viktor Bout.