Russia-US prisoner swap: Biden hails relief of returning Evan Gershkovich in historic exchange

US president Joe Biden has described the “relief” he felt as three US citizens and one green card-holder were finally freed from Russian captivity today.

Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva and Vladimir Kara-Murza are among the 16 prisoners freed from Russian captivity, the rest of which will be returning to Europe. In return, Russian murderers and cyber terrorists have been returned to Moscow.

Speaking from the White House alongside the families of the four that had been freed back to the US, Biden said: “This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. It’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who have been praying for this day for a long time.”

He added that “friendship and diplomacy” had been key to the exchange.

“The deal that made this possible was the feat of diplomacy and friendship. Friendship, multiple countries helped get this done. They joined difficult, complex negotiations at my request, and I personally thank them all again.”

Key points

• Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva pictured after release

• Vladimir Kara-Murza among those freed

• Biden ‘relieved’ as prisoner swap ends ‘brutal ordeal’ for Evan Gershkovich

• Navalny was supposed to be part of swap, says Sullivan

• Who is Evan Gershkovich?

Gershkovich ‘set to be freed in Russia prisoner swap'

13:11 , Alexander Butler

Welcome to The Independent’s live blog. The largest US-Russia prisoner swap since the Cold War could take place today, with jailed journalist Evan Gershkovich, Briton Vladimir Kara-Murza and former US Marine Paul Whelan set to be released.

It comes after a series of mysterious movements of prominent Western prisoners prompted speculation that Vladimir Putin had agreed to swap them for Russians held in the West.

Flight tracking site Flightradar24 showed that a special Russian government plane used for a previous prisoner swap, involving the United States and Russia, had flown from Moscow to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

Follow our live updates for more.

Biggest swap since the Cold War

13:16 , Alexander Butler

The prisoner swap between Russia and the West is set to be the biggest exchange since the Cold War, with Moscow preparing to release between 20 and 30 political prisoners.

The largest exchange since then took place in 2010, which involved 14 people. In 2022, US basketball player Brittney Griner was swapped for a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year sentence.

Jailed Briton Vladimir Kara-Murza could be released as part of the deal, as well as former US Marine Paul Whelan who has been detained since 2018.

Pro-Kremlin strategist claims prisoner exchange ‘complete’

13:18 , Alexander Butler

Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin strategist with strong links to the Russian government, has claimed that Russia and the US have completed their prisoner exchange.

“The exchange of agents took place. The exact lists are not yet known,” he said on Telegram. “On the Russian side, these are honest officers. On the American side, these are political figures who worked in the interests of the United States.”

The Kremlin has still declined to comment on heightened speculation that a prisoner swap including Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich is being carried out.

Pictured: Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Paul Whelan

13:23 , Alexander Butler

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza?

13:25 , Alexander Butler

After the death of Alexei Navalny, jailed British-Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza became the face of anti-Kremlin resistance.

The 42-year-old University of Cambridge graduate was arrested in April 2022 hours after CNN broadcast an interview in which he said Russia was being run by a “regime of murderers”.

A year later, he was sentenced to 25 years in a Siberian penal colony in the Omsk region, where he now resides in a punishment cell only three metres long and one-and-a-half metres wide, nearly 6,000 miles from his wife and children living in the US.

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The new face of Russia’s anti-Putin resistance

Who is Paul Whelan?

13:34 , Alexander Butler

Former US Marine Paul Whelan, has been in Russian custody since he was arrested just after Christmas in 2018 on what American officials have described as bogus spying charges.

He had travelled to Russia several times on business prior to his arrest by the FSB at a Hotel Metropol Moscow on 28 December 2018.

He was accused of taking delivery of a USB drive containing security-sensitive information and formally charged with espionage offences on 3 January, which Mr Whelan strongly denied.

Held at Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison on 15 June 2020.

Who is Evan Gershkovich? The reporter falsely jailed by Russia at centre of US-Moscow prisoner exchange

13:37 , Alexander Butler

Appearing in court, Evan Gershkovich would often crack a smile or laugh for the cameras from inside the glass-walled cage he was being held in. On another occasion he made a heart shape with his hands and put it to his chest. A message to family, friends and the wider world that the trumped up espionage charges for which he was handed a 16-year sentence would not break him.

It is a fate he had seen many times, dissidents, critics and journalists jailed – but one that increased significantly in the wake of Vladimir Putin‘s decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Gershkovich tweeted in July 2022 that summer that it had become “a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years.” Less than a year later he was in prison himself, becoming the first US journalist to be accused of spying in Russia since the Cold War.

The 32-year-old was detained for just doing his job, a reporting trip for his newspaper, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), to the city of Yekaterinburg – around 900 miles east of Moscow. A day later he was pictured being taken inside a Moscow courthouse, flanked by security personnel, wearing a mustard coat, its hood over his head.

Who is Evan Gershkovich? The reporter at the centre of US-Russia prisoner exchange

Timeline of US journalist jailed in Russia as prisoner swap underway

13:58 , Alexander Butler

Evan Gershkovich: Timeline of US journalist jailed in Russia

Russian-American journalist Kurmasheva included in prisoner swap

14:03 , Alexander Butler

Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva is said to be the third US citizen who will be freed in the prisoner exchange with Russia soon, according to a senior Biden administration official

Ms Kurmasheva will be released alongside Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Marine veteran Paul Whelan, the official confirmed to CBS News.

Russian assassin in expected exchange

14:09 , Alexander Butler

Russia’s main prize in exchange for Mr Gershkovich was expected to be Vadim Krasikov, an FSB assassin who was sentenced to life in prison in Germany over the murder of a Chechen-Georgian former rebel fighter in Berlin’s Tiergarten park in 2019.

Five Russians in jail in the United States were mooted as others to be swapped in the deal after they reportedly disappeared from the Federal Bureau of Prisons database.

They include Vladislav Klyushin, a Kremlin-linked businessman who was serving nine years in the US on hacking and insider trading charges.

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The Cambridge-educated British-Russian activist

14:23 , Tom Watling

Below we have an explainer on who is Vladimir Kara-Murza, the British-Russian dissident rumoured to be included in the prisoner exchange today.

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The new face of Russia’s anti-Putin resistance

Turkey says a prisoner exchange will take place today

14:34 , Tom Watling

The Turkish National Intelligence Agency (MIT) said it would coordinate an extensive prisoner swap on Thursday, amid signs of a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus on one side and the United States, Germany and Slovenia on the other.

“A (prisoner) exchange operation will take place today under the coordination of our organisation,” MIT said in a statement. “Our organization has undertaken a major mediation role in this exchange operation, which is the most comprehensive of the recent period.”

At least one Russian plane lands in Turkey

14:38 , Tom Watling

Flight trackers have shown at least one plane from Russia’s ‘Special Flight Squadron’ arriving in Ankara a few minutes ago from Moscow.

The plane, RSD939, arrived in Ankara this afternoon. It is reportedly the same plane that was used to swap US basketball player Brittney Griner in December 2022.

It comes as a Reuters witness claimed to have seen a plane land at the airport.

We have some more details on the flight arriving in Ankara

14:47 , Tom Watling

Below we have some more details on the Russian government plane that has just arrived in Ankara as Turkish officials report they will preside over a prisoner swap later today.

The flight took off from Vnukovo International Airport in southwest Moscow at 10.44am (GMT), arriving in Ankara, central Turkey, three hours and 42 minutes later.

It remains unclear who is on the flight, but Kremlin-approved state media claimed that an exchange will take place at the airport at 7pm local time, which is around 4pm GMT.

Why did Putin choose to exchange now?

14:57 , Tom Watling

Many Russia watchers are scratching their heads as to why Vladimir Putin, who of late has shown no willingness to negotiate swaps for those he has imprisoned, appears to have suddenly taken an about turn.

Just five months ago, Alexei Navalny, viewed as a top priority for future swaps, died in his Arctic Circle penal colony in what his allies and the West say was murder. His team later claimed Navalny was about to be swapped but Putin changed his mind and ordered him killed.

Sam Greene, professor in Russian politics at King’s College London, suggests that this latest move was an attempt by Russia “to isolate Ukraine”.

“If I had to hazard a guess, then, it would be that the Kremlin sees an opportunity to try to isolate Ukraine,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“By making this exchange, Moscow is seeking to demonstrate that (a) it can negotiate in good faith, and (b) it is willing to do deals with the West.

“This will strengthen the hand of those who have been calling for Western governments to impose a ceasefire on Kyiv and weaken those who see such a ceasefire as detrimental to Ukrainian and European security in the near, medium and long terms.”

You can read his comments in full below.

Turkish presidency: Prisoners for swap are from US, Germany, Russia, Belarus

15:09 , Tom Watling

The Turkish presidency has issued a statement reporting that the prisoners involved in a swap today are from the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus

Photo appears to show Russian planes at Ankara airport

15:13 , Tom Watling

Photos released via Russian state media appear to show at least one Russian aircraft docked at Ankara airport in Turkey.

Additional footage published by Russian Defence Ministry TV appeared to show prisoner swaps getting on and off a plane at Ankara airport.

Furtehr details of the prisoner swap - Turkish intelligence agency

15:18 , Tom Watling

Earlier, we reported that Turkey’s intelligence agency official confirmed that a swap was taking place.

They have now added that ten prisoners have been sent back to Russia, including two minors, 13 to Germany and three to the US.

Turkey claim Evan Gershkovic is part of the swap - marking first official comment

15:22 , Tom Watling

Evan Gershkovic, the US journalist by Russia on trumped up charges of espionage, has been named as one of the prisoners freed in today’s swap by the Turkish intelligence agency presiding over the exchange.

In what is the first official confirmation of the exchange, the Turkish agency mentioned Gershkovich and Paul Whelan by name.

Watch live from Turkey airport as Evan Gershkovich expected to be released in prisoner swap

15:27 , Tom Watling

Watch live from Turkey airport as Evan Gershkovich expected to be released

Russian Krasikov among prisoners exchanged in Ankara, Turkey says

15:44 , Tom Watling

Vadim Krasikov, a Russian who was convicted of murdering a Kremlin opponent in Germany in 2019, was among prisoners exchanged in Ankara, the Turkish presidency said.

It added that German mercenary Rico Krieger, jailed in Belarus, and Russian dissident Ilya Yashin, jailed in Russia, were also among those swapped.

Yashin also named as part of prisoner swap

15:46 , Tom Watling

Turkey’s presidency has also named Ilya Yashin, the Russian opposition figure, as among those inlcude in the major east-west swap today.

‘Enemies’ should stay away from Russia after release, Kremlin says

16:14 , Alexander Butler

The Kremlin, commenting on a prisoner exchange with the West which took place on Thursday, said it hoped those who had left Russian jails, whom it described as “enemies”, would stay away, the state-run TASS news agency reported.

TASS quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying he hoped to comment further later on Thursday.

“I believe that all our enemies should stay there (abroad), and all those who are not our enemies should return. That’s my point of view.”

Prisoners freed under deal

16:26 , Alexander Butler

US journalist Evan Gershkovich and other Americans left a Russian aircraft moments ago at an airport in Turkey’s capital, Ankara.

British citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been detained for 843 days, was also released under the largest prisoner swap since the end of the Cold War

“Today marks the end of a 843 day nightmare for Russian-British citizen and Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, his family and close friends,” Mr Kara-Murza’s friend Bill Browder told The Independent.

White House confirms release

16:38 , Alexander Butler

The United States and four allies reached a deal with Russia for their largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, in a swap that includes the release of 16 people including US journalist Evan Gershkovich, the White House said on Thursday.

The Biden administration negotiated the complex trade with Russia and several other countries, agreeing to send eight prisoners held in the West back to Russia, including Vadim Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence for killing a Chechen-Georgian dissident in Berlin.

Negotiated in secret for more than a year, the deal represents a major accomplishment for the parties and will be presented by the Biden administration as a marquee foreign policy success as the US presidential race enters its final months.

Biden statement

16:41 , Andrew Feinberg

“Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.

“The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia—including five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.

“Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty.

“Today, their agony is over. I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome— including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey.

“This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer.

“And let me be clear: I will not stop working until every American wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world is reunited with their family.

“My Administration has now brought home over 70 such Americans, many of whom were in captivity since before I took office.

“Still, too many families are suffering and separated from their loved ones, and I have no higher priority as President than bringing those Americans home.

“Today, we celebrate the return of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir and rejoice with their families. We remember all those still wrongfully detained or held hostage around the world. And reaffirm our pledge to their families: We see you. We are with you. And we will never stop working to bring your loved ones home where they belong.”

US secures release of more than a dozen political prisoners - Here’s how it happened

17:09 , Tom Watling

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that President Biden summoned family members of Gershkovich, Whelan, Kara-Murza and Kurmasheva to inform them of the news of the impending exchange early on Thursday.

He described the prisoner swap as “historic,” citing the number of individuals on both sides and the number of countries involved.

He added that the safe return of the 16 political prisoners is “the culmination of many rounds of complex, painstaking negotiations over many, many months.”

Sullivan told reporters that the administration’s efforts to bring home Whelan — who was detained just before Christmas in 2018 — and others wrongfully detained by Moscow have been “uniquely challenging” due to the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.

“We’ve been working to secure Paul Whelan’s release since we came into office. He was detained before we came into office. These efforts were obviously made more complicated and new challenges were presented to us with the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in March of 2023, and Alsu Kurmasheva in June of 2023,” he said.

White House explains why FSB assassin Kraskiv was key to swap (1/2)

17:15 , Tom Watling

White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said it “became clear” to the Biden administration that Russia would not consent to releasing Whelan, Gershkovich or Kurmasheva without securing the release of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian security agent serving a life sentence in Germany for murdering a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent who had received asylum in Germany after fighting Russian troops in Chechnya.

He told reporters that Biden had personally engaged with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to convince him to allow for the release of Krasikov in exchange for the Americans held by Russia, plus other political prisoners.

Sullivan also credited the governments of Norway, Slovenia and Poland for their willingness to release Russian prisoners held in their custody and said Biden’s team “including a lot of dedicated people at the NSC, the CIA, and the State Department” had engaged with those governments to make the massive prisoner swap a reality.

He also thanked the Turkish government for what he described as “critical logistical support” without which the deal could not be executed.

White House explains why FSB assassin Kraskiv was key to swap (2/2)

17:20 , Tom Watling

Asked about the propriety of arranging for the freedom of bad actors such as Krasikov and other Russian agents, a senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said they would not discuss the specifics of each of the prisoners being returned to Russia.

“We we want to preserve the sanctity of diplomatic conversations, but it was a lot of intense diplomacy by Jake by our State Department colleagues, and certainly by the intelligence community to work with our international allies and partners from four different countries, as well as with our Russian interlocutors, to get the right mix here. And we believe that this is an appropriate deal that gets … 16 individuals out of Russian custody, and that’s important,” the official said.

On the matter of Krasikov, the official said the convicted murder is “certainly the biggest fish that the Russians wanted back” but they stressed that no one in the administration was “turning a blind eye” to his crimes or connections to Moscow’s intelligence services.

“In order to secure the release of innocent people, overseas and innocent Americans, you have to make some tough decisions. You have to make some tough calls. And this deal is no different than any other one that the President has presided over or led our administration through,” they said.

“But in the end, Paul, Evan, Alsu and Vladimir will come home and be back with their families. And that’s not insignificant.”

Watch live: Biden speaks after Evan Gershkovich freed in largest prisoner exchange with Russia since Cold War

17:25 , Tom Watling

Live: Biden speaks after Evan Gershkovich freed in prisoner exchange with Russia

Biden worked on Evan deal ‘literally an hour’ before dropping out of presidential race

17:30 , Tom Watling

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said that the exchange is the product of a long process that has taken full advantage of Biden’s strong relationships with world leaders and has involved Biden’s full attention throughout, including on the day he shocked the world by announcing that he was standing down from his re-election bid.

“Literally an hour” before Biden released the announcement that he was withdrawing his candidacy, the official said he was on the phone with his Slovenian counterpart “urging them to make the final arrangements and to get this deal over the finish.”

“This exchange is not by accident. It really is the result of a heck of a lot of leadership by President Biden and by the strength of relationships … it also shows the power of alliances and partnerships, and why investing in alliances and partnerships really does matter and can convey what we would consider … tangible and concrete dividends,” the official said.

Biden hails ‘diplomacy and friendship’ as key to hostage swap

17:41 , Tom Watling

US president Joe Biden has hailed “diplomacy and friendship” as the keys to today’s prisoner swap with Russia, which was years in the making.

Speaking from the White House, surrounded by the families of the three US citizens, as well as green card-holder Vladimir Kara-Murza, who were rescued today, he said: “Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia.

“Earlier today, they’re flown to Turkey, and soon there’ll be wheels up on their way home to see their families.

“This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here. It’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who have been praying for this day for a long time.

“The deal that made this possible was the feat of diplomacy and friendship. Friendship, multiple countries helped get this done. They joined difficult, complex negotiations at my request, and I personally thank them all again.

“I thank them personally, and I thank them again. All told Russia has released 16 prisoners. Eight Russians being held in the West will be sent home as well. These 16 prisoners from Russia that Russia has released include four Americans, five Germans, and seven Russian citizens who are political prisoners in their own country.”

Biden ‘relieved’ as prisoner swap ends ‘brutal ordeal’ for Evan Gershkovich

17:50 , Tom Watling

David Cameron: I am delighted by Vladimir Kara-Murza’s release

17:56 , Tom Watling

Former foreign secretary David Cameron has told The Independent he is “delighted” by the news that Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Cambridge-educated British-Russian dissident, has been released from Russian detention today,

The Independent revealed that Lord Cameron was meeting with Vladimir’s wife Evgenia and mother Elena in March.

“It was an honour to have met Vladimir Kara-Murza’s brave and determined wife, Evgenia, as Foreign Secretary,” Lord Cameron said.

“I am delighted by today’s news, meaning that they can be together again, with their family, after what will have been the most awful ordeal. I wish them well.”

We have some more comments from Biden’s speech

18:05 , Tom Watling

Below we have some more comments from US president Joe Biden on the prisoner swap that took place earlier today.

“This still would not have been made possible without our allies, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey, they all stepped up, and they stood with us. They stood with us, and they made bold and brave decisions releasing prisoners being held in their countries who are justifiably being held, and provided logistical support to get the Americans home. So for anyone who questions allies matters. They do.

They matter today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world, friends you can trust, work with and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this, our alliances make our people safer, and we began to see that again today.

“Let me say this says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world.

“It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well.

“That’s who we are in the United States. We stand for freedom, for liberty, for justice, not only for our own people, but for others as well.”

Biden sings happy birthday to released prisoner’s daughter as she wipes away tears in emotional moment

18:08 , Tom Watling

Biden sings happy birthday to released prisoner’s daughter as she wipes away tears

Harris to return to Washington to welcome Americans freed in prisoner swap, says source

18:20 , Tom Watling

US Vice President Kamala Harris will return to Washington from Houston to welcome Americans freed in a prisoner swap with Russia, a source familiar with the plan told Reuters on Thursday.

Harris, also the Democratic presidential candidate for November elections, was scheduled to return to Washington after delivering a eulogy at the Celebration of Life Service for late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston.

First picture shows Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva after swap

18:29 , Tom Watling

The first picture showing Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva after their release has been posted online.

Biden’s response to a question about Trump’s promises to get Gershkovich out

18:45 , Tom Watling

Who is Evan Gershkovich? The reporter falsely jailed by Russia at centre of US-Moscow prisoner exchange

19:00 , Tom Watling

Who is Evan Gershkovich? The reporter at the centre of US-Russia prisoner exchange

Navalny was supposed to be part of swap, says Sullivan

19:13 , Tom Watling

Alexei Navalny, the face of the Russian opposition, was supposed to be part of the prisoner swap before he died in February, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan has revealed.

Mr Navalny died during his imprisonment in an Arctic Circle penal colony in what the West and his allies say was murder.

Navalny’s team claimed what Sullivan has now confirmed back in March after his opposition figure’s death.

Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s former press secretary, said after the news today: “Remember everyone who said in February that the exchange was a fiction, and never believe them.”

Second photo shows freed US citizens from Russia

19:18 , Tom Watling

US president Joe Biden has shared a second photo of the US citizens freed from Russia.

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The Putin critic involved in US-Russia prisoner swapv

19:30 , Tom Watling

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? The Putin critic involved in US-Russia prisoner swap

Kremlin releases footage of Evan Gershkovich in prisoner exchange

19:36 , Tom Watling

This blog is now closed

19:44 , Tom Watling

This blog is now closed.

You can read our coverage throughout the day below.

Photos show inside Evan Gershkovich’s release

19:45 , Tom Watling

Photos taken from Russian state media appear to show the process of US journalist Evan Gershkovitch’s release.

White House: No money was exchanged in East-West prisoner exchange

20:00 , Tom Watling

No money was exchanged as part of the biggest East-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday.

Sullivan added that no sanctions were loosened to facilitate the deal.

This prisoner swap is a triumph – but it could be a sign of something even more profound

20:15 , Tom Watling

Prisoner swap is a triumph, but it may be a sign of something greater | Mary Dejevsky

Locked up for opposing Putin: Inside Vladimir Kara-Murza’s brutal prison ordeal

20:30 , Tom Watling

As Vladimir Kara-Murza heads home to his family in the US, we remind you of the brutal ordeal of his imprisonment in Russia.

Locked up for opposing Putin: Inside Vladimir Kara-Murza’s brutal prison ordeal