US and Russia Agree to Big Prisoner Swap: WSJ Journalist Among Americans Set for Release

The Biden administration is on the brink of securing a major prisoner swap with Russia, aiming to bring home three American citizens currently imprisoned in the country, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

A senior administration official confirmed that the prisoner swap is anticipated to occur later today.

High-Profile Detainees

Whelan and Gershkovich have been at the center of diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Russia, both accused of espionage—a charge that the U.S. has consistently disputed.

Kurmasheva, a dual American and Russian citizen, was detained in June 2023 on charges related to spreading false information about the Russian military, adding another layer of complexity to the negotiations.

The White House, State Department, and CIA have remained tight-lipped about the details of prisoner swap deal.

However, the groundwork for this exchange has been laid over several months, with senior officials, including national security adviser Jake Sullivan, expressing a strong determination to bring the detained Americans home.

Diplomatic Efforts and Challenges

Whelan’s case has been particularly challenging.

A former Marine, Whelan was arrested in December 2018 during a visit to Russia for a friend’s wedding.

He was later sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges.

His family and the U.S. government have consistently denied the allegations, calling them politically motivated.

Whelan’s detention has been marked by repeated exclusions from previous prisoner swaps, including high-profile exchanges under both the Trump and Biden administrations.

He has been serving his sentence in a labor camp in Mordovia, a remote region of Russia, where conditions have been harsh.

In a 2021 interview with CNN, Whelan described his work in a “sweatshop” environment, further highlighting the difficulties of his imprisonment.

Gershkovich’s situation is similarly dire. As the first American journalist arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the Cold War, his case has drawn significant international attention.

Arrested in March 2023 while on assignment in Yekaterinburg, Gershkovich was accused of spying for the CIA—a claim that Russian authorities have failed to substantiate with public evidence.

His hurried trial in July 2023 resulted in a 16-year prison sentence, which the U.S. government and his supporters have condemned as a sham.

The Path to a Prisoner Swap Deal

The Biden administration has been under increasing pressure to secure the release of these Americans, particularly after previous high-profile exchanges left Whelan behind.

In 2022, two significant prisoner swaps took place: one involving former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed and another with WNBA star Brittney Griner. Both deals sparked criticism for excluding Whelan, intensifying the call for action.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in July, Jake Sullivan emphasized the administration’s commitment to making a deal happen.

“We are determined to make it happen,” Sullivan said, highlighting the urgency of securing Gershkovich’s release, among others.

The pending swap appears to have cleared significant hurdles, with three Russians serving sentences in the U.S. being transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service in preparation for the exchange.

The secrecy surrounding the prisoner swap deal has been so tight that even the attorneys of the Russian prisoners were reportedly unaware of their clients’ whereabouts, as their locations were removed from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons website.

Unlike previous prisoner swaps, this potential exchange has not faced significant opposition from within the U.S. government.

Justice Department officials, typically cautious about such deals, have reportedly been more supportive in this case, recognizing the importance of securing the release of these Americans.

Anticipation Builds

For the families of Gershkovich, Whelan, and Kurmasheva, the hope with the prisoner swap is that today will mark the end of a long and painful chapter.

Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, who has been instrumental in the negotiations, expressed optimism earlier this month, stating, “I know Evan and Paul will come home to the United States and step onto U.S. soil. I just don’t know when.”

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