Maxi exchange of Russia-West prisoners in Ankara, reporter Gershkovich also freed

It is the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War.26 people from prisons in seven different countries were involved.

Last update at 7pm

The news had been circulating for hours.Finally the official:in Ankara, India Türkiye, was held on maxi prisoner exchange Between Russia And West which involved 26 people detained in prisons in seven countries:Russia, USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia and Norway.The Russian government agency also confirmed this Ria Novosti quoting the Turkish TV channel TRT Haber.

As Ria Novosti writes, it is the "largest exchange operation in recent years", which took place with the mediation of Turkish intelligence.Ten people, including two minors, will return to Russia, thirteen to Germany and three to the United States.

In addition to the American journalist from the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, sentenced in Russia to sixteen years in prison on charges of espionage, the former Marine was released Paul Whelan, accused of espionage, the Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, the human rights veteran and co-president of the NGO Memorial Oleg Orlov, the artist Aleksandra Skochilenko, the Russian opponents Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ilya Yashin, Andrei Pivovarov, Lilia Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, it's still Kevin Lik, Demuri Voronin, Vadim Ostanin, Patrick Schobel, Herman Moyzhes, And Rico Krieger, who had been sentenced to death in Belarus and later pardoned by President Alexander Lukashenko.Some of them have German citizenship.

Second TheInsider, among the various prisoners Mosca would have received in exchange Vadim Krasikov, alleged former Russian secret service agent sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany on murder charges; Artem Dultsev And Anna Dultseva, convicted in Slovenia on espionage charges and Roman Seleznev, an alleged hacker sentenced to 27 years in prison in the US.

Commenting on the news, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of oppositionist Alexei killed in prison in February 2024, said the negotiations lasted several years.After the death of Navalny, who was supposed to be among the prisoners subject to the exchange, "many people" tried to "hold everything together somehow and save everyone", Navalnaya said, recalling however that there are many other political prisoners who they will continue to remain behind bars.

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The American journalist of the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, 32 years old, sentenced in Russia to 16 years in prison on espionage charges, would have been released.The agency writes it Bloomerg, citing some sources informed of the facts, after various rumors that suggest an imminent maxi prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.Together with him, Moscow would also have released the former US marine Paul Whelan, 54 years old, in prison since 2018 for espionage.Accusations always rejected by both the two defendants and by Washington.News of the release has not yet been confirmed by the Russian press.

The exchange of prisoners

In the last few hours there have been rumors of a possible big deal exchange of prisoners between Russia and Western countries, which would also involve several Russian political prisoners, who in recent days were transferred from their cells to unknown destinations.The release of Gershkovich and Whelan would be part of this agreement.

According to Bloomerg, the two are traveling to destinations outside of Russia.

According to what a European official reported on condition of anonymity, the Kremlin he would also be releasing his political opponent Vladimir Kara Murza, jailed with a record 25-year sentence for treason and criticizing the war in Ukraine.

In the last few hours, the independent Russian press has been reporting state planes intercepted in Russian skies, already used in the past to carry out other prisoner exchanges.