Russia releasing American journalist Evan Gershkovich in prisoner swap after 16 months behind bars: reports
SUMMARY
American journalist Evan Gershkovich is set to be released from a Russian prison on Thursday as part of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, has been held in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison since March 2023, accused of spying for the CIA—a charge widely condemned as baseless. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in July after a controversial trial. The exchange also includes the release of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia since 2018 on similar espionage charges. This swap, reportedly involving the U.S., four NATO allies, and Russia, will see 24 prisoners exchanged, making it the largest deal of its kind since the Cold War. Other notable releases include Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, Jr., marking a major diplomatic development amid strained U.S.-Russia relations.
