Russia Frees American Prisoners Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan in Multi-Country Swap

Russia has agreed to free American prisoners Evan Gershkovich, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in a multi-country swap, according to multiple media reports Thursday.

Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 for espionage, which U.S. officials have repeatedly said is false. The 32-year-old underwent a hasty, secretive trial and was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony.

Whelan has been in prison since 2018. The former U.S. Marine, who also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship, was also accused of espionage while traveling in Russia on an American passport, convicted in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years.

More to come …

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