Russia frees Americans Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan in major prisoner swap: Reports

Russia and the United States have struck an agreement to exchange two high-profile American prisoners in a multipart deal, according to a senior official in the Biden administration cited in multiple media reports on Thursday, Aug. 1. This deal will reportedly bring home Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Bloomberg reported both prisoners were already en route to destinations outside of Russia.

The Independent reported this could be the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. in over a decade and could see the release of Kremlin assassins sent back to Moscow in exchange for American prisoners’ freedom.

Gershkovich, 32, was detained by Russian authorities in March 2023 on charges of espionage, which he and U.S. officials strongly dispute. President Joe Biden has stated that Gershkovich was targeted because of his role as a journalist and his American citizenship.

Following a swift and secretive trial, Gershkovich was found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in a high-security prison in Russia.

Whelan, 54, who holds U.S., British, Irish, and Canadian citizenship, was arrested in December 2018 while in Russia on an American passport and faced similar espionage accusations. Both the Biden and Trump administrations have rejected these allegations.

Whelan was convicted in June 2020 and also received a 16-year prison sentence, of which he has already served five years.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information is released.