Russia and the West exchange prisoners: American journalist Gershkovich is among those released. Video

Russia and several Western countries conducted a prisoner exchange at the Ankara airport in Turkey. As part of the exchange, Russia released WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan.

This was reported by Bloomberg. It is noted that the men, who are currently imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, which they and the United States deny, are currently traveling to destinations outside the aggressor state.

According to the media outlet, citing anonymous sources, the United States and its allies will also return the prisoners they are holding to Russia in response.

It is worth noting that the history of prisoner exchanges between Russia and the West goes back to 1962, when the USSR first handed over pilot Francis Powers to the United States, and Washington handed over spy Rudolf Abel to Moscow. One of the largest exchanges took place in 1985 in Germany: 23 arrested CIA agents for four Soviet spies.

Also in 2010, in Vienna, Austria, the United States handed over ten spies to Russia, and Moscow exchanged them for four Russians who had been convicted of collaborating with Western intelligence services.

After that, exchanges between Russia and the West took place in 2015, 2018, 2019, and 2022.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on July 30, the media reported that over the past two days, six political prisoners had disappeared from Russian colonies and pre-trial detention centers. The reasons and directions for their transfer are unknown, but they may be being prepared for exchange.

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