Grapevine

By Al Jazeera
Aug 2, 2024

Russian ‘hostage diplomacy’ pays off: Decoding a wartime prisoner exchange

The swap conducted as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine continues is significant for both the West and Russia, but means little for Kyiv, analysts say.

It was the largest, most elaborate prisoner exchange between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

On Thursday, 24 prisoners were gathered to be exchanged at Esenboga airport in the Turkish capital of Ankara before boarding jets to fly them home.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted eight of his compatriots, who had been held in Europe and the United States on charges from cyber-fraud to espionage and murder, when they touched down in Moscow’s Vnukovo airport.

“I want to congratulate everyone on their return to their homeland,” he said. “I want to thank you for your loyalty to the oath, your duty and your homeland, which has never forgotten you for a minute.”