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Tears, hugs and a salute as three freed Americans back on US soil after historic prisoner swap with Russia | CNN Politics

๐ŸŒˆ Abstract

The article discusses the return of three Americans - Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva - to the United States following a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West. The exchange marks the conclusion of a "brutal ordeal" for the detainees and their families, and a major diplomatic achievement for the Biden administration.

๐Ÿ™‹ Q&A

[01] Prisoner Exchange

1. What were the key details of the prisoner exchange between Russia and the West?

  • The exchange involved 24 detainees in total, with 16 people released from Russian custody, including 5 Germans and 7 Russian citizens who were political prisoners.
  • In return, Russia received former high-ranking FSB colonel Vadim Krasikov, as well as several individuals accused of spying or cybercrime.
  • The exchange was orchestrated as part of a complex deal between Russia, the US, and other Western nations.

2. Who were the Americans released in the exchange?

  • The three Americans released were:
    • Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter
    • Paul Whelan, a former US Marine
    • Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

3. What were the charges and detentions of the American prisoners?

  • Whelan had spent almost 6 years in Russian prisons after his arrest in Moscow in 2018, while Gershkovich had been detained for over a year. Both were sentenced on espionage charges and declared wrongfully detained by the US State Department.
  • Kurmasheva was detained in October 2023 and found guilty of spreading false information about the Russian army, charges her family and employer deny.

[02] Homecoming and Aftermath

1. How were the freed Americans received upon their return to the US?

  • The returnees were greeted with tears and embraces by their joyous families at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
  • President Biden and Vice President Harris were present to welcome them as they arrived.
  • Whelan, Gershkovich, and Kurmasheva were accompanied by medics, a psychologist, and US government officials on their return flight.

2. What support will the freed Americans receive after their return?

  • The returnees will undergo medical evaluation and receive any necessary care at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
  • They will also have the option to participate in a Defense Department program called PISA (Post Isolation Support Activities) to help them readjust to life in the US.

3. How did the Biden administration view the prisoner exchange?

  • Biden called the exchange a "feat of diplomacy" and a "legacy-defining moment" for his administration, achieved through collaboration with US allies.
  • The president hosted the families of the freed Americans at the White House, stating that their "agony is over" after years of unjust detention.
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