[guest post by Dana]

Thank God:

The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been freed from Russian custody as part of a major exchange that also involved the freeing of several other foreign citizens held in Russia and numerous Russian political prisoners.

In the exchange, which took place at Ankara airport on Thursday afternoon, eight Russians held in the west returned to Russia. Among them was the Russian assassin Vadim Krasikov, who has been held in a German prison since 2019 for the murder of a Chechen exile in Berlin.

Additionally, deep-cover Russian “illegal” spies arrested in Norway and Slovenia were swapped, along with Russians held on criminal charges in US jails. Two minors were also returned to Russia, believed to be the children of the spies jailed in Slovenia.

CNN just posted this list of the released prisoners on both sides:

The three US citizens and one legal permanent resident returning home from Russia, include:

Journalist Evan Gershkovich
Former US Marine Paul Whelan
Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva
Prominent Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is a US resident.
The 12 German nationals and Russian political prisoners who will return to Germany, comprise:

Dieter Voronin,
Kevin Lick,
Rico Krieger,
Patrick Schoebel,
Herman Moyzhes,
Ilya Yashin,
Liliya Chanysheva,
Kseniya Fadeyeva,
Vadim Ostanin,
Andrey Pivovarov,
Oleg Orlov,
Sasha Skochilenko
The released Russians are:

Vadim Krasikov — released from Germany
Artem Viktorovich Dultsev — released from Slovenia
Anna Valerevna Dultseva — released from Slovenia
Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin — released from Norway
Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov — released from Norway
Roman Seleznev — released from the US
Vladislav Klyushin — released from the US
Vadim Konoshchenock — released from the US

Sir Bill Browder’s statement on the release:

BREAKING: Vladimir Kara-Murza has been released from Russian prison.

Today marks the end of a 843 day nightmare for Russian-British citizen and Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, his family and close friends.

Vladimir publicly protested Putin’s war of aggression…

— Sir William Browder KCMG (@Billbrowder) August 1, 2024

From President Biden’s statement on the release of the Americans held by Russia:

And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family. My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office. Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.

Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.

Also from President Biden’s statement:

I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome— including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey. This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.

The President is so right that the U.S. needs its allies across the world, and that these relationships must be maintained. A great example of that is the fact that Norway released a prisoner to Russia with no one in exchange. In an ever-changing world, there is too much at stake to alienate or turn away from our friends because of petty or personal reasons.

A big congratulations to the Biden administration for seeing this through.

Oh. And this: Hardest hit: Mr. Donald-Putin-will-do-that-for-me-but-not-for-anyone-else-Trump.

–Dana