Exclusive: US, Russia carry out major prisoner swap in Türkiye
In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Russia has released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan as part of a major prisoner swap with the United States, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The exchange is taking place in Türkiye’s Ankara, sources confirmed to Türkiye Today.
Details of prisoner exchange
Gershkovich and Whelan, both jailed in Russia on espionage charges that they and the U.S. deny, are en route to destinations outside of Russia. In return, as part of the deal, the U.S. and its allies will release Russian prisoners, the sources said, requesting anonymity.
The Kremlin has also agreed to release dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza, a European official said on condition of anonymity. Kara-Murza, a dual Russian-British citizen and an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, was sentenced to 25 years in prison last year for treason and other charges related to his criticism of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The swap is coordinated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Agency (MIT).
Extensive negotiations
The U.S. has engaged in extensive talks to secure the release of Gershkovich and Whelan, both designated as wrongly detained by the U.S. State Department. A source familiar with the planning indicated that Russia might be preparing to free between 20 and 30 political prisoners and journalists in an imminent exchange with the United States and Germany, potentially the largest swap since the Cold War.
Speculation about a major prisoner exchange has intensified as several jailed dissidents and journalists were moved to unknown locations. Among those whose whereabouts have become unclear are activists Vladimir Kara-Murza, Oleg Orlov, Lilia Chanysheva and former Moscow city councilman Ilya Yashin.
Sources suggest that the list of individuals likely to be part of the exchange includes associates of the late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Russian citizens jailed for opposing the war in Ukraine, and U.S. citizens.
Recent developments
On Wednesday, special aircraft from the Rossiya Airlines detachment serving the Kremlin reportedly transported political prisoners from remote regions to maintain secrecy. The exchange could occur as early as Wednesday or Thursday, though specific details remain unavailable. The prisoner swap is happening in Ankara, since both countries also had a trilateral meeting under Turkish Intelligence.
Slovenian broadcaster N1 Slovenija reported an expected major prisoner exchange involving the U.S., Germany, Russia, and Belarus within hours. This followed a court ruling in Ljubljana that sentenced a Russian couple to prison on espionage charges, only to order their deportation.
Additionally, information about four Russians imprisoned in the U.S. on charges including cybercrime, money laundering, and electronics smuggling disappeared from the Federal Bureau of Prisons database on Wednesday.
Official statements
U.S. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, “We are committed to returning detained Americans in Russia but cannot discuss specifics.”
The last significant U.S.-Russia prisoner swap occurred in December 2022, involving American basketball star Brittney Griner and notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March 2023 while on a reporting assignment and accused of spying for the CIA, charges he and the Wall Street Journal deny. Whelan, detained in 2018, was sentenced to 16 years in 2020 on spying charges he also denied.
If confirmed, this exchange would be the largest since 2010, when Washington and Moscow swapped 10 Russian agents for four Russians imprisoned for espionage.
Russia might get intelligence officers back
Russian intelligence, although not yet confirmed, is highly likely to retrieve Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) personnel with this exchange. The intelligence officers Artem Viktorovich Dultsev and Anna Valeryivna Dultseva, from Slovenia through this exchange.
The two Russian operatives were apprehended in Slovenia while working under the guise of an Argentine family with two children, following a tip-off from another foreign intelligence service.
These valuable agents, who speak fluent Spanish without an accent, will likely undergo facial plastic surgery and continue their work, probably in Latin America. Or Russian intelligence may utilize these personnel as “instructors” at their training centers.
