Prisoner swap between Russia and the West: 24 people on the list, including a hitman
Photo: Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Georgian citizen who was killed by Krasikov in 2019 (Getty Images)
The United States, Russia, Germany, and “three other Western countries” have agreed to exchange 24 prisoners. The list includes Vadim “Sokolov” Krasikov, who killed Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Germany in 2019, reports CBS News.
Three American citizens who were imprisoned in Russia will be released in the course of the exchange soon. They are:
- Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter. He was imprisoned after being accused of espionage;
- Paul Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran. Like Gershkovich, he was imprisoned after being charged with espionage;
- Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American radio journalist. She was imprisoned for “spreading false information about the Russian army”.
At least 12 political prisoners held in Russia will be released to Germany as part of the exchange.
Eight citizens will return to Russia, including those suspected of having ties to Russian intelligence. Among them, for example, is Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. The murder is suspected to have been ordered by the Russian authorities.
Kremlin critic and Washington Post editor Vladimir Kara-Murza will be transferred to the United States, as it is expected.
CBS News later removed the information about the number of prisoners on the exchange list and any mentioning of Krasikov.
Prisoner exchange between Russia and the West
Western and Russian media are reporting on the preparations for a large prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus, on the one hand, and the United States, Germany, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom, on the other.
This exchange could be the most important since the end of the Cold War. Russia may release up to 30 people, while the United States and other Western countries may hand over to Moscow those convicted of espionage and illegal trade.
Read more about the exchange in RBC-Ukraine's report “Russia and the West prepare prisoner exchange: Likely largest since Cold War”.
