Grapevine

By Al Jazeera
Aug 2, 2024

How the world reacted to Russia-West prisoner swap

Western countries and rights groups welcome the release of dissidents and journalists, including Evan Gershkovich.

The United States and Russia have completed a major prisoner swap, the largest in post-Soviet history, with Moscow releasing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan in a multinational deal.

Thursday’s swap set some two dozen people free, according to officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place.

The West obtained the release of 16 people from Russia, including five Germans and seven Russian political prisoners, according to a statement by US President Joe Biden.

Russia meanwhile secured the freedom of several of its own nationals convicted of serious crimes in the West.