Russia and the West prepare prisoner exchange, likely largest since Cold War

Contents

• Preparations for the exchange
• Who may be on the exchange list
• History of exchanges between Russia and the West

Preparations for the exchange

Western media have reported on a possible large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus, on the one hand, and the United States, Germany, Slovenia, and the UK, on the other.

According to Western and Russian media, preparations for the exchange have been underway for several days. The exchange is expected to take place in the “coming hours.” This is also evidenced by the fact that some well-known political prisoners have “disappeared” from Russian colonies. American media also reported that some convicted Russians have been released from prison.

Reports online indicate that at least six special Russian government planes flew to the regions where their prisons are located. For example, an An-148 aircraft was reported to have flown to Kaliningrad. These aircraft have been used repeatedly in exchanges. For example, in the exchange of Russian Viktor Bout for American basketball player Brittney Griner.

The An-148 with tail number RA-61727 took off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport on August 1.

Who may be on the exchange list

Russian media report that Russia may release 20 to 30 political prisoners and journalists as part of the exchange. If it is true, it will be the largest since the Cold War.

According to media reports, the exchange list includes people associated with Alexei Navalny, Russians convicted of criticizing the war in Ukraine, and US citizens.

Among them are politicians Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin, as well as The Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich. There are also reports that journalist Ivan Safronov, human rights activist Oleg Orlov, Daniil Krinari, who was convicted of secretly cooperating with foreign governments, and former US Marine Paul Whelan will be released.

Photo: The Wall Street Journal's Evan Hershkovich (Getty Images)

According to Reuters, the exchange may include German and Russian citizen Kevin Lik, convicted of treason, opposition activists Lilia Chanysheva and Kseniya Fadeeva, and anti-war artist Sasha Skochilenko.

Belarus may hand over Rico Krieger, who was recently sentenced to death in Germany. The leader of the Belarusian regime, Alexander Lukashenko, recently “pardoned” a German accused of alleged terrorism.

The United States may transfer prisoners to Russia:

• Alexander Vinnik, convicted of participating in managing the BTC-e cryptocurrency exchange;
• Maxim Marchenko, who is accused of illegally purchasing US dual-use and military microelectronics;
• Vadim Konoshchenok, who is accused of illegal purchases of electronics for the Russian defense industry;
• Vladislav Klyushin, convicted of insider trading in securities based on stolen and non-public information.

According to media reports, they disappeared from the US Federal Bureau of Prisons database.

Reuters suggests that the exchange may also include at least two other Russian citizens, Vladimir Dunaev and Roman Seleznev, who were convicted of serious cybercrime.

Two spies convicted in Slovenia may return to Russia. Yesterday, on July 31, the Ljubljana District Court announced the verdict against Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, who were detained in late 2022 and accused of spying for Russia. The court ordered the couple to be deported from the country.

History of exchanges between Russia and the West

One of the first exchanges took place in 1962. At that time, the Soviet Union handed over pilot Francis Powers to the United States, and Washington handed over spy Rudolf Abel to Moscow.

Russia and the West have also exchanged convicted spies at least four times on the Glienicker-Brucke Bridge in Germany. In 1985, one of the largest exchanges took place there - 23 arrested CIA agents for four Soviet spies.

One of the largest and most famous exchanges since the Cold War took place at the Vienna airport in 2010. Back then, the United States handed over ten intelligence officers to Russia, and Moscow exchanged them for four Russians who had been convicted of collaborating with Western intelligence agencies.

Exchanges between Russia and the West also took place in 2015, 2018, and 2019.

In December 2022, another well-known exchange took place at the Abu Dhabi airport. Russian Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in the United States for arms smuggling and supporting terrorism, was exchanged for American basketball player Brittney Griner. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia for alleged drug possession.

Photo: American basketball player Brittney Griner (Getty Images)

In April of the same year, another exchange took place - American student Trevor Reed for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko.

Sources: Reuters, The Moscow Times, Fontanka, Wikipedia, Fox News, N1.