The US and its Western allies have completed the biggest prisoner swap with Russia in post-Soviet history. The multinational deal completed August 1, 2024, saw more than two dozen prisoners released, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich who had been detained by Moscow since 2023 and recently convicted on espionage charges. The deal also came with multiple concessions by Western countries to release Russians convicted on spying and even murder charges.
The United States and its Western allies have executed the largest prisoner swap with Russia since the Soviet era, culminating on August 1, 2024. This groundbreaking multinational deal resulted in the release of over two dozen prisoners, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who had been detained by Moscow since 2023 on espionage charges. The agreement involved significant concessions from Western nations, who agreed to release Russians convicted of spying and even murder. This historic exchange underscores the complex and high-stakes nature of international diplomacy in the modern era.
