1-8-2024 (MOSCOW) A large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Western nations is reportedly in progress, with Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich among those set to be released from Russian custody, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Bloomberg News reports that Gershkovich, along with former US marine Paul Whelan, both of whom were accused of espionage by Russian authorities, have already been freed and are en route to a destination outside Russian borders. The Guardian understands that the exchange will be more extensive, involving the release of Russian political prisoners as well as numerous Russians incarcerated in Western countries for various offences, including espionage and murder.
Gershkovich’s arrest in March 2023 while on assignment in Ekaterinburg sent shockwaves through the international journalism community. His subsequent conviction and 16-year prison sentence for espionage charges, which he vehemently denied, were widely condemned by the Wall Street Journal and the US government as baseless.
The possibility of such an exchange has been the subject of speculation for months, with protracted negotiations taking place behind closed doors involving multiple governments. Details of these talks have been closely guarded, with little information reaching the public domain.
Many analysts have suggested that Gershkovich’s initial arrest was part of a broader Russian strategy akin to hostage-taking, aimed at pressuring Western countries to release Russian operatives, including spies, hackers, and assassins.
In a potentially related development, two Russian deep-cover “illegal” spies arrested in Slovenia were tried in Ljubljana on Wednesday. They were sentenced to time already served and ordered to leave the country.
