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

🌈 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.

🙋 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.