WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich and Ex-Marine Paul Whelan released by Russia as part of major prisoner swap with U.S.
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Source: Daily Mail
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan have been released from jail in Russia.
The men were let go as part of a major prisoner swap with Moscow, said to involve around 20 to 30 political prisoners.
Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 on espionage charges that the United States says are illegitimate. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in July.
Whelan, 54, has been imprisoned in Russia since 2018 and was sentenced to 16 years in jail in 2020 on spying charges. The U.S. has denied he was ever involved in espionage operations.
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13697931/WSJ-reporter-Evan-Gershkovich-ex-Marine-Paul-Whelan-dramatically-RELEASED-Russia-major-prisoner-swap-US.html
This may well be a very positive event for the Biden-Harris administration.

gab13by13
(26,285 posts)I will look for another source.
Pototan
(2,287 posts)I am familiar with this story.
muriel_volestrangler
(102,980 posts)The hosts are not keen on relying on the Daily Mail in LBN - while it may have got this story right, it does have RW tabloid values, and a poor record of accuracy.
Mr. Evil
(3,042 posts)I don't like clicking on right-wing rags either.
radical noodle
(9,226 posts)Think. Again.
(21,382 posts)Maeve
(43,106 posts)And it would behoove him to change tactics?????
PatSeg
(49,840 posts)Nonetheless, it is still rather surprising.
LymphocyteLover
(7,258 posts)Bev54
(11,976 posts)"Boris release the prisoners". He is probably being fed campaign polling data from Manafort.
BumRushDaShow
(146,883 posts)https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/01/politics/russia-us-prisoner-swap/index.html
SKKY
(12,371 posts)..."This is a big fucking deal."
FalloutShelter
(13,007 posts)Secretary Blinken.
Johnny2X2X
(22,200 posts)His family has been working non stop for years, they were very critical of the Trump administration who they said wouldn't even take their calls. Biden has worked tirelessly to get this done.
Really hope Biden and/or Harris show up at the airport to welcome these Americans home.
Prairie Gates
(4,002 posts)Truly, Trump had two and half years to convince Putin to free Whelan, and did jack fuckall about it. It was disgraceful.
Johnny2X2X
(22,200 posts)They've been pretty clear that the Trump administration didn't care one bit about Whelan, but of course they had to remain reserved because they didn't want to piss Trump off in case he ever got back in. I hope they are effusive in their praise for Biden/Harris, but I also hope they just let it all out and let Trump have it. Trump didn't care because there was nothing in it for him.
Prairie Gates
(4,002 posts)Whelan's charges were more serious from a Russian perspective, but I could see why they'd be upset that Griner got the attention and swap potential that she did while Whelan sat in prison for yet another year.
Johnny2X2X
(22,200 posts)They wanted their guy back, but they didn't blame Biden for getting the deal for Griner that they could get. And Griner has spoken with them several times and been an advocate for Whelan. It was the Cons who were going nuts that Biden got a gay black athlete back, but the Russians weren't willing to give up Whelan for what we offered.
happy feet
(1,153 posts)They had no cause to be upset. There are so many factors that go into this prisoner swap --- I trust the administration did what was possible at the time as well as now.
Raven
(14,162 posts)Johnny2X2X
(22,200 posts)Trump is going to lose and he better do this deal because Trump giving them Ukraine is off the table.
Raven
(14,162 posts)obamanut2012
(28,209 posts)Native
(6,874 posts)twodogsbarking
(12,612 posts)Prairie Gates
(4,002 posts)He knew damn well that this could happen and went anyway.
Glad he's out, but he's not acquitted himself well.
Prairie Gates
(4,002 posts)He said he would work on freeing the hostages in Gaza and Americans held prisoner elsewhere in the world. It was obviously a reference to Gershkovic at least, since he had just been sentenced days before.
Bravo, Mr. President and the whole team that worked on this.
wordstroken
(705 posts)


Botany
(73,119 posts)Best President of my lifetime.
niyad
(122,015 posts)LisaL
(46,990 posts)NT
niyad
(122,015 posts)Hotler
(12,636 posts)
Ocelot II
(122,793 posts)usonian
(15,696 posts)An orange one?
Think. Again.
(21,382 posts)Think. Again.
(21,382 posts)myohmy2
(3,572 posts)...Biden Harris administration has succeeded again...
...(we need to spin the shit out of this)...
...
Clouds Passing
(3,522 posts)Farmer-Rick
(11,627 posts)What's Putin up to?
Is this a signal that he thinks Pedo Trump will lose?
Trump needs to stay away from windows.
LisaL
(46,990 posts)NT
obamanut2012
(28,209 posts)obamanut2012
(28,209 posts)I'm serious. This helps Biden-Harris. Great PR.
Ramsey Barner
(669 posts)"I told you I would get Gershkovich released before the election," or something like that?
getagrip_already
(17,624 posts)Its a sure thing.
Ramsey Barner
(669 posts)Skittles
(161,633 posts)puppet master doesn't want to deal with his puppet......yeah OK
gatomedianoche
(74 posts)Anton Gerashchenko @Gersashchenko_en
The largest prisoner exchange of Russian political prisoners and the West since the Cold War may take place on the border between Russia and Poland.
The An-148 airplane with the flight number RA-61727, which had earlier landed in Russia's Kaliningrad, flew back to Moscow.
This plane has already been used in prisoner exchanges between Russia and other countries before.
There are reports that the exchange has/will take place today.
Jacson6
(1,018 posts)
Roc2020
(1,720 posts)
gatomedianoche
(74 posts)Anton Gerashchenko @Gerashchenko_en
Russian Telegram channels report that the prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries in Ankara is complete. It involved 26 people from prisons in the US, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus. As a result of the exchange, 10 people flew to Russia, 13 to Germany and three to the US.
No official confirmation has been made.
SunSeeker
(54,532 posts)
LetMyPeopleVote
(157,750 posts)This was a very complex deal involving multiple countries. It took a world leader like President Biden to pull off this deal
Link to tweet
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/01/russia-us-prisoner-swap/
Those to be released included American journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal, who was accused of espionage without any known evidence, and Paul Whelan, a former Marine jailed for more than five years after an espionage conviction the United States called baseless, as well as several Russian dissidents who demanded freedom and democracy or criticized the war in Ukraine, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post Opinions contributor.
The prisoners were released from the jails of seven countries: the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus, the Turkish presidential office said, adding that they were brought to Turkey by seven planes, two from the United States and one each from Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Russia.
Omaha Steve
(104,311 posts)Daily Mail is not a suitable source for LBN.
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