Russia Agrees to Release Prisoners In Multi-Country Swap

Russia and the United States have agreed to swap prisoners in an extraordinary deal made through the Biden administration.

The deal will allow the two wrongfully detained American citizens held by Moscow, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, to return home.

The two high-stakes prisoners are reportedly set to return to the U.S. as early as Thursday.

Russia handed both Whelan and Gerskhovich 16-year jail sentences for spying in 2020 and earlier this month, respectively, with both men denying the charges and being designated as wrongly detained by the U.S. State Department.

This is a developing story, with neither Russian nor American governments speaking publicly about the deal.

The swap reportedly involves several countries, with more information not being released at this time.

Donald Trump promised in June that Gershkovich would be released upon his election, which veterans of his own White House said could delay the reporter’s freedom and undermine U.S. democracy by encouraging Russia to hold Gershkovich until after the election to aid Trump’s campaign.