Historic Russia-West Prisoner Exchange: Who Was Freed?
In a landmark event reminiscent of Cold War diplomacy, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich has been released as part of the largest prisoner swap between Russia and the West in decades. The exchange involved 16 individuals held by Russia, including prominent opposition figures and activists imprisoned for opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Among those returning to Moscow was Vadim Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence in Germany for assassinating a former Chechen rebel commander in a Berlin park.
Those Released by Russia
Lilia Chanysheva
Lilia Chanysheva, who formerly headed the offices of the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny in the Bashkortostan republic, was sentenced to nine and a half years in April for creating an "extremist organization." Chanysheva, 42, worked as an accountant for major companies, including Deloitte, before joining Navalny's team in 2017 to protest regional corruption.
Ksenia Fadeyeva
Ksenia Fadeyeva led Navalny’s now-banned organization in Tomsk, Siberia, where Navalny was poisoned in 2020. She was sentenced to nine years in prison in December 2023 for "extremism." Elected to the Tomsk city legislature in 2020, Fadeyeva's victory was a significant win for the Russian opposition.
Evan Gershkovich
Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter, was arrested in Yekaterinburg in March 2023 and accused of spying for the CIA. Russia alleged he was caught "red-handed" spying on a tank factory, though no evidence was provided. Gershkovich was convicted in a closed trial and sentenced to 16 years in jail.
Vladimir Kara-Murza
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a vocal Kremlin critic, was serving a 25-year sentence for condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Arrested in April 2022 after accusing Russia of "war crimes," Kara-Murza, a dual British-Russian national, continued to write columns from his prison cell, earning a Pulitzer Prize.
Alsu Kurmasheva
Alsu Kurmasheva, a US-Russian journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was sentenced to six and a half years in a secret trial. Arrested while visiting Russia from Prague, she was accused of violating military censorship laws. Her case was deemed a "mockery of justice" by RFE/RL.
Kevin Lik
Kevin Lik, a dual Russian-German citizen, was arrested at 17 and became the youngest person convicted of treason in Russia. Sentenced to four years in 2023 for allegedly sending photos of a military facility to German security services.
German Moyzhes
German Moyzhes, a Russian-German dual national, faced treason charges with little information made public. An immigration lawyer and urban activist, Moyzhes was arrested in Saint Petersburg in May.
Oleg Orlov
Oleg Orlov, a veteran activist from the now-banned Memorial human rights organization, was jailed for two and a half years for calling Russia a "fascist" state and criticizing its invasion of Ukraine. Memorial condemned the trial as an attack on free expression.
Vadim Ostanin
Vadim Ostanin, former head of Navalny’s regional branch, was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2023 for participating in an "extremist" organization.
Andrei Pivovarov
Andrei Pivovarov, who led the pro-democracy Open Russia foundation, was sentenced to four years in a penal colony in July 2022. Pivovarov was removed from a plane by Russian intelligence agents before he could leave the country.
Patrick Schoebel
Patrick Schoebel, a German citizen, was arrested at Saint Petersburg airport with cannabis gummy bears. Details of his sentencing were not specified.
Alexandra Skochilenko
Artist Alexandra Skochilenko was jailed for seven years in November 2023 for spreading "false information" by replacing supermarket price tags with anti-war messages. She was arrested in April 2022 after a customer reported the messages to the police.
Dieter Voronin
Dieter Voronin, a dual Russian-German citizen, was sentenced to 13 years for "treason" after allegedly receiving classified military information.
Paul Whelan
Paul Whelan, a former US marine with multiple citizenships, was arrested in Moscow in 2018 with classified documents. He was sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony and designated by the US as "wrongfully detained."
Ilya Yashin
Ilya Yashin, 41, was jailed for eight and a half years in December 2022 for condemning the "murders of civilians" in Bucha, Ukraine. A prominent opposition figure, Yashin was a close ally of Navalny and Boris Nemtsov.
Released by Belarus
Rico Krieger
German national Rico Krieger, sentenced to death in June for photographing military sites and placing an explosive device, was pardoned by President Alexander Lukashenko.
Released by the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Poland, and Norway
Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva
Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, arrested in Slovenia for spying, were sentenced to more than a year and a half. They lived in Ljubljana with their children, who were included in the swap.
Vladislav Klyushin
Vladislav Klyushin, sentenced in the US for a hacking scheme netting $93 million, was released as part of the exchange.
Vadim Konoshchenok
Vadim Konoshchenok, extradited to the US from Estonia for attempting to procure US military equipment for Russia, was also released.
Mikhail Mikushin
Mikhail Mikushin, posing as a Brazilian researcher in Norway, was arrested and identified as a colonel in Russia’s GRU military intelligence.
Pavel Rubtsov
Pavel Rubtsov, arrested in Poland for being an agent for Russia’s GRU, was included in the swap.
Roman Seleznev
Roman Seleznev, a Russian hacker convicted of cyber attacks and racketeering in the US, was released after serving part of his sentence.
This historic prisoner exchange underscores the continuing geopolitical tensions and the complex negotiations required to secure the release of individuals detained under contentious circumstances.