Unprecedented 7-Nation Prisoner Swap Frees 26, Including Evan Gershkovich and FSB Operative Vadim Krasikov

Photo source: https://www.bbc.com

In a historic and unprecedented prisoner exchange on August 1, seven nations were involved in a complex deal that resulted in the release of 26 individuals. Among those freed were Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Vadim Krasikov, a former FSB special forces operative. Gershkovich, whose release had been pursued by the U.S. for over a year, was a priority for Washington, while Krasikov's freedom was reportedly a personal goal for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speculation about a potential Gershkovich-Krasikov exchange had circulated since the journalist's arrest in March 2023, but the final swap turned out to be much larger than initially expected. Notably, for the first time since the Cold War, Russia agreed to release political prisoners in return for the release of its intelligence operatives.

The prisoner exchange took place under a veil of secrecy. Just before 11 p.m. at Moscow’s Vnukovo-2 airport, a Russian government plane landed, greeted by a ceremonial honor guard—typically reserved for foreign heads of state. Standing at the ready was none other than President Vladimir Putin himself, an honor he rarely extends to even the most high-ranking officials.

As Vadim Krasikov disembarked in casual attire, Putin greeted him with a handshake and a warm "hello," a sign of the importance the Russian leader placed on Krasikov’s return. Krasikov, sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for the 2019 assassination of former Chechen commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in Berlin, had been hailed by Putin as a "patriot who eliminated a criminal."

In return for Krasikov's freedom, Russia agreed to release political prisoners for the first time in modern history. This exchange, which included the high-profile journalist Evan Gershkovich, was the result of more than six months of secret negotiations involving the White House, the U.S. State Department, and the CIA. According to CBS, the talks were conducted under the strictest confidentiality, with officials in both Russia and the West refusing to comment, and even the legal teams of the individuals involved kept in the dark.

Hints of the impending exchange surfaced in late July. Gershkovich, who had spent nearly 18 months in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, was suddenly sentenced to 16 years after just three court hearings. On the same day, Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist accused of spreading "fake news" about the Russian military, received a 6.5-year sentence. Meanwhile, in Belarus, German citizen Rico Krieger was sentenced to death for terrorism. These individuals’ names began circulating in connection with the looming exchange between Russia and the West.

Signs of preparation for the swap grew clearer on July 28, when several prominent Russian opposition figures disappeared from detention centers and penal colonies, prompting speculation that they were being readied for the exchange. Human rights activists cautiously suggested that the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) was moving them in secrecy, a tactic common in high-level prisoner transfers.

Author: Alexey Popov