International PAUL WHELAN FREE—Prisoner exchange underway

[BFoe]

This is breaking news, and I’ll update the OP as new details emerge:

Russia and the United States have agreed to swap prisoners in an extraordinary multipart deal, according to senior Biden administration official.

The swap will allow the two wrongfully detained American citizens held by Moscow, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, to return home.

Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan greeted by President Biden, VP Harris after landing on US soil

The two men were on their way back to the U.S., officials said.

abcnews.go.com

Business Insider, citing Bloomberg, is claiming the exchange is already underway.

Russia freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan in an exchange with the US, Bloombergreported Thursday.

It cited people familiar with the situation who asked for anonymity to discuss matters that have yet to be made public.

Gershkovich and Whelan were on their way to undisclosed locations outside Russia, per the outlet.

It said they had been exchanged Russian prisoners being held by the US and unnamed allied nations. It didn't say who.

Edit: I updated thread title as multiple outlets are reporting that Whelan and Gershkovich are already free. It’s being reported that Vladimir Kara-Murza, a U.S. resident and husband to an American citizen is also being released. He was a prominent critic of Russia’s war in Ukraine who was sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison for treason.

EDIT #2: 24 prisoners involved in the deal.
Among the Russians expected to be released: FSB Col. Vadim Krasikov, a hitman serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 murder of Chechen military commander Zelimkhan Sultanovich Khangoshvili. The swap is expected to take place in Turkey,

EDIT #3: Full list of prisoners below. This is a multinational deal which we will we prisoners returned to America, Russia, Germany, Poland, Belarus, and other countries.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/08/01/russia-prisoner-swap-people-released/

 

[GoldenWolf87]

This what Diplomacy can achieve.
Same can be said for what is happening in Gaza, Middle East.

 

[Protectandserve]

Did we give away the farm like we did with Griner?

 

[BFoe]

Did we give away the farm like we did with Griner?

I wondered how long it was going to be before someone posted some shit like that. You could at least say you’re happy for them and their families first.

I’ll update the OP once we know who is being exchanged, but these were very high-profile prisoners—Whelan especially—so Russia was never going to make it easy. I’m sure we had to concede quite a bit to get them back. Getting them back is the important part.

 

[sickc0d3r]

Awesome!

 

[Protectandserve]

I wondered how long it was going to be before someone posted some shit like that. You could at least say you’re happy for them and their families first.

I’ll update the OP once we know who is being exchanged, but these were very high-profile prisoners—Whelan especially—so Russia was never going to make it easy. I’m sure we had to concede quite a bit to get them back. Getting them back is the important part.

I will never not be glad when Americans are returned but the precedent was recently set that we will give away too much to get them back. It’s a horrendous precedent that will lead to more Americans getting snatched to get high profile prisoners from the other side returned.

 

[USA!USA!]

Fuck Russia and fuck countries that imprison Americans just because they can get something out of it. Never going to visit that fucked up country and I suggest no Americans do (unless you are Tucker Carlson and willing to suck them off, apparently).

Russia is an enemy state. So is China. People like to skip over Russia and go right to China. They both are enemies to Americans.

 

[Rational Poster]

I will never not be glad when Americans are returned but the precedent was recently set that we will give away too much to get them back. It’s a horrendous precedent that will lead to more Americans getting snatched to get high profile prisoners from the other side returned.

All this proves is that we care more for our citizens than all these other fucking losers.

The precedent set is that no matter who you are or where you've been captured the US government will do whatever it takes to bring you home.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Putin will keep doing it unfortunately, he gets rewarded every time he does. He's a scumbag.

What happened to the guy who stupidly went to Russia to meet his girlfriend and instantly got set up?

 

[oldshadow]

All this proves is that we care more for our citizens than all these other fucking losers.

The precedent set is that no matter who you are or where you've been captured the US government will do whatever it takes to bring you home.

Including freeing terrorist, spies and anyone no matter their crimes.

Which inturn endangers more people being kidnapped to get their criminals released .

So yea we should proceed with this type of thing with caution.

It's not a blanket good thing.

There should be a travel warring that you visit should countries at your own risk.

 

[andnowweknow]

I will never not be glad when Americans are returned but the precedent was recently set that we will give away too much to get them back. It’s a horrendous precedent that will lead to more Americans getting snatched to get high profile prisoners from the other side returned.

Our people are priority, period. All you are saying is that there is no perfect solution, but you're hinting at the idea that this swap has been poorly plotted out or poorly executed.

This is an absolute victory getting our people back.

 

[andnowweknow]

Putin will keep doing it unfortunately, he gets rewarded every time he does. He's a scumbag.

What happened to the guy who stupidly went to Russia to meet his girlfriend and instantly got set up?

Worrying about Putin getting something he wants is secondary to us getting our people back. A distant second place with respect to value.

 

[Rational Poster]

Including freeing terrorist, spies and anyone no matter their crimes.

Which inturn endangers more people being kidnapped to get their criminals released .

So yea we should proceed with this type of thing with caution.

It's not a blanket good thing.

There should be a travel warring that you visit should countries at your own risk.

Nope, our people are worth more than any terrorist scumbag period.

 

[oldshadow]

Nope, our people are worth more than any terrorist scumbag period.

So the terrorists scumbag and their government sponsor should get away with their crimes as long as they kidnap Americans to trade. They can just keep repeating this.

Do you even think before you post.

Let's see what the trade is.

 

[Scerpi]

I wondered how long it was going to be before someone posted some shit like that. You could at least say you’re happy for them and their families first.

I’ll update the OP once we know who is being exchanged, but these were very high-profile prisoners—Whelan especially—so Russia was never going to make it easy. I’m sure we had to concede quite a bit to get them back. Getting them back is the important part.

You might think it's shit... But it was embarrassing what the US exchanged for Griner. Putin knew Biden had pressure from his base to get her back.

At least Biden could have pushed for Whelan to be returned then. But Whelan didn't have the same groups pushing Biden like Griner had.

Anyway, this is fantastic news. Glad to see it for these two.

 

[Rational Poster]

So the terrorists scumbag and their government sponsor should get away with their crimes as long as they kidnap Americans to trade. They can just keep repeating this.

Do you even think before you post.

Let's see what the trade is.

If that's what it takes to get our people back absolutely, no question.

Some loser Russia spies getting released means nothing today more than ever. Russia's entire network of spies is useless because they're not welcome anywhere like they used to be.

 

[Scerpi]

Putin will keep doing it unfortunately, he gets rewarded every time he does. He's a scumbag.

What happened to the guy who stupidly went to Russia to meet his girlfriend and instantly got set up?

Wasn't he a soldier who went AWOL to see her?

lol... ooops

 

[Joe]

 

[Deleted member 267581]

I will never not be glad when Americans are returned but the precedent was recently set that we will give away too much to get them back. It’s a horrendous precedent that will lead to more Americans getting snatched to get high profile prisoners from the other side returned.

Bro just stfu. If your dumbass we’re held you would be begging to come back

 

[oldshadow]

If that's what it takes to get our people back absolutely, no question.

Some loser Russia spies getting released means nothing today more than ever. Russia's entire network of spies is useless because they're not welcome anywhere like they used to be.

Never mind the danger done to the country or the deaths they may have caused.

Also that it encourages them to kidnap random Americans to trade.

Sounds like we lose all the way around in the long run.