Russia and several Western countries have exchanged 26 prisoners in the largest swap since the Cold War era, including a German sentenced in Belarus and the “Tiergarten murderer”.
Major prisoner exchange with Russia
Multiple Western nations and Russia have completed a large-scale prisoner exchange, according to Turkish sources. The swap, mediated by Turkey, included the release of German national Rico K., who had been sentenced to death in Belarus but later pardoned. The United States secured the release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan.
In return, the so-called Tiergarten murderer Vadim Krassikov was handed over. Russian President Putin had shown particular interest in Krassikov, who was convicted in December 2021 for the murder of a Georgian in Berlin’s Kleiner Tiergarten park. Krassikov allegedly carried out the act on behalf of Russian state authorities.
According to the Turkish Presidential Office, the exchange involved a total of 26 individuals from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus – making it the largest prisoner swap since the end of the Cold War. Thirteen people were brought to Germany, three to the US, and ten were returned to Russia. The Turkish Presidential Office later clarified that the total of 26 released individuals includes two minors.
German government: A difficult decision
The German government confirmed the release of 16 individuals from Russia and Belarus. It stated that, together with partners, they had “succeeded in securing the release of 15 people who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia, as well as a German national who had been sentenced to death in Belarus.” The government also confirmed that Krassikov was part of the deal on the other side.
The German government emphasized that this decision was not made lightly. “The state’s interest in enforcing the prison sentence of a convicted criminal had to be weighed against the freedom, physical well-being, and – in some cases – ultimately the lives of innocent people imprisoned in Russia and those unjustly detained for political reasons.” The obligation to protect German citizens and solidarity with the US were cited as important motives.
Biden: “Diplomatic masterpiece”
US President Joe Biden called the release of 16 prisoners a “diplomatic masterpiece” in a written statement. He further wrote that among those released were “five Germans and seven Russian citizens who were political prisoners in their own country.”
During an address at the White House, Biden thanked Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his contribution to the exchange. “I owe a great debt of gratitude to the Federal Chancellor,” he said. Given Russia’s demands, he had to ask Germany for “significant concessions.” Initially, Germany couldn’t fulfill these “because of the person in question.” But in the end, Germany made its contribution, as did several other countries involved in the negotiations.
According to the Turkish intelligence service MIT, a total of seven planes were involved in the exchange. The prisoners were exchanged in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Among the released Russians were prominent opposition politicians such as Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin. In return, Russia received its compatriots imprisoned in the West.
From death sentence to pardon
In Belarus, ruler Alexander Lukashenko lifted the death sentence against Rico K. on Tuesday. Previously, K. had asked for his pardon in footage shown on Belarusian state television. The 29-year-old German had been sentenced to death in June for alleged mercenary activities and terrorism on behalf of the Ukrainian intelligence service SBU.
US journalist Gershkovich lived in Russia as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on July 19 on espionage charges, which he denied. Former US soldier Whelan had been sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges.
Speculation about impending exchange
Kremlin chief Putin had recently repeatedly expressed his willingness for an exchange. He has been criticized for using political prisoners as hostages to force the release of Russians from Western prisons.
Speculation about an imminent exchange was recently fueled by, among other things, the unusually swift sentencing of Gershkovich to 16 years in prison. In recent days, other people imprisoned in Russia were also transferred from prison to unknown locations. Apparently, they were brought to Moscow for the prisoner exchange.
According to the news agency dpa, the released Russians could also include human rights activist Oleg Orlov from the Memorial organization and artist Alexandra Skochilenko. All are opponents of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and had received long prison sentences. The West had criticized the verdicts as judicial arbitrariness and demanded the release of the prisoners.
Previous prisoner exchanges
Despite their tense relations, the US and Russia have exchanged prisoners repeatedly in the past. In December 2022, during the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, US basketball player Brittney Griner, convicted of a drug offense, was released. In return, Moscow received Russian arms dealer Viktor But, who had been convicted in the US. After his return, But expressed his support for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and is now a politician.
