A significant prisoner exchange between Russia and the West is underway, with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich among those being released from a Russian prison, according to a report by Bloomberg citing sources familiar with the situation.
Sources with knowledge of the planned exchange confirmed to the Guardian that a major swap would take place on Thursday in a location outside Russia. They declined to provide further details until after the swap due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan, both accused by Russian authorities of espionage, have been freed and are en route to a destination outside Russia, Bloomberg reported. The Guardian understands that the exchange will also involve the release of Russian political prisoners and the return of numerous Russians jailed in the West for espionage, murder, and other crimes.
Neither Russia nor the US has publicized any details on the exchange location, but Turkish intelligence issued a statement confirming its coordination of an extensive prisoner swap on Thursday. Sources confirmed to the Guardian that the exchange is expected to happen in Turkey.
Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 while reporting in the city of Ekaterinburg and was sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage last month. He pleaded not guilty, and both the Wall Street Journal and the US government have dismissed the charges as baseless.
A possible exchange has been discussed for months, with negotiations involving numerous governments and few details made public. Many observers have linked Gershkovich’s arrest to a Russian policy of hostage-taking, aimed at pressuring Western countries to release Russian spies, hackers, and assassins.
On Wednesday, two Russian deep-cover “illegal” spies arrested in Slovenia were tried in Ljubljana, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be expelled from the country. A source with knowledge of the case told the Guardian that the pair would be included in the exchange.
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