Topline
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan, who were each sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on spying charges widely viewed as false, were reportedly set free Thursday as part of a prisoner swap that saw the U.S. and several other countries release detainees.
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage of a … [+]
Key Facts
Gershkovich, Whelan and Russian dissident Ilya Yashin were reportedly among a cohort of prisoners who were released as part of the swap, which took place in Turkey and included 24 adults imprisoned in seven different countries—including Russia.
It was reported earlier that Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva may be among those to be released by Moscow, but whether or not she was freed remains unknown.
Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian assassin, was reportedly set to be freed from Germany, but who else is involved is still unclear.
American officials have long said they’re committed to a deal to free the Americans detained in Russia and national security adviser Jake Sullivan last month said it was considered “one of the most important things between now and the end of the year.”
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.
Paul Whelan stands in a cage while waiting for a hearing in a court room in Moscow, Russia, Friday, … [+]
Who Is Evan Gershkovich?
Gershkovich, 32, has been detained for 571 days. The journalist, an American-born son of Soviet-born parents, was on assignment for the Wall Street Journal in Yekaterinburg, Russia, when he was arrested on charges of espionage in March 2023. His arrest was the first time an American journalist had been charged with spying in Russia since the Cold War, and Gershkovich was convicted in a fast and private trial. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Gershkovich’s sister and parents, who live in Philadelphia, have been fierce advocates for his release. The Journal called his conviction “disgraceful” and a “sham.” The U.S. State Department almost immediately designated him as wrongfully detained and called for his release. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: “He is being punished because he is a journalist, and he is an American. Simple as that.” The arrest came amid the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which hurt U.S.-Russia ties.
Who Is Paul Whelan?
Whelan, a former Marine, has been in custody for 2,043 days, starting when he was arrested in December 2018 while traveling to Russia for a friend’s wedding. Russia’s foreign minister claims Whelan was “caught red-handed” engaging in espionage, with a Russian news agency reportedly claiming a Russian citizen handed him a flash drive containing classified information while at a Moscow hotel (his lawyer said he didn’t know any classified information would be on the drive). He was arrested shortly after, accused of spying and, in June of 2020, sentenced to 16 years in prison. The U.S. government has also denied he worked as a spy, and experts say his lack of diplomatic status makes him very unlikely to be a spy. Whelan has been left out of previous prisoner swaps with the U.S. and Russia. A self-described Russophile, Whelan was interested in the county’s culture and had visited several times before his arrest. Whelan’s family have been fierce advocates for his release and have denied the espionage allegations. Whelan has citizenship in the U.S., Canada, Britain and Ireland, but was traveling with his U.S. passport when he was arrested.
Who Is Alsu Kurmasheva?
Kurmasheva, an editor and broadcaster for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was detained in Russia while visiting family in June 2023—starting a 426-day term. She was visiting her elderly mother and her passports (American and Russian) were confiscated after she failed to register the U.S.document, according to the Washington Post. Her family appealed to the United States for help, and Biden mentioned her in a speech at the White House Correspondents’ dinner in April.
Key Background
U.S. officials have accused the Russian government of using U.S. citizens as bargaining chips, arresting them when possible so prisoner swaps, like the one for Whelan and Gershkovich, ultimately free Russian citizens from the West. Russia insists all those who have been arrested did break the law. The overall number of Americans in Russian custody is unclear, but some of the more well-known detainees include Whelan, Gershkovich, musician Travis Leake, teacher Mark Fogel and soldier Staff Sgt. Gordon Black.
Tangent
Prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia are not unheard-of. Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was arrested for violence against a police officer in Russia, was returned to the United States in 2022 in exchange for convicted Russian drug trafficker Konstantin Yaroshenko. American basketball player Brittney Griner, arrested for possession of cannabis as she entered the country, was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout later that same year.
Further Reading
Mary Roeloffs is a Forbes reporter who covers breaking news with a frequent focus on the entertainment industry, streaming, sports news, publishing, pop culture and climate change. She joined Forbes in 2023 and lives in Dallas. She’s covered Netflix’s hottest documentaries, a surge of assaults reported on social media, the most popular books of the year and how climate change stands to impact the way we eat. Roeloffs was included on Editor & Publisher Magazine’s “ 25 Under 30” list in 2023 and worked covering local news in the greater Boston area from 2017 to 2023. She graduated with a double major in political science and journalism from Northeastern University. Follow Roeloffs for continued coverage of streaming wars, pop culture news and trending topics.
“>
