Evan Gershkovich, a Jewish reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was one of four U.S. citizens and permanent residents released in a prisoner exchange between Russia, the United States and several other Western countries on Thursday as part of a 24-person swap.
Also released were Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine first arrested in Moscow in 2018; Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a U.S. permanent resident and prominent Russian opposition leader.
Eleven other foreign nationals and Russian dissidents were let go from Russia, as was a German national held in Belarus, as part of the deal.
In exchange, the United States, Germany, Slovenia, Norway and Poland released eight convicted or accused Russian spies and agents, including a man convicted in Germany of murdering a former Chechen separatist in Berlin in 2019.
U.S. President Joe Biden thanked the nations who helped make the deal possible. “For anyone who questions whether allies matter, they do,” Biden said on Thursday. “Today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world—friends you can trust, work with and depend upon, especially on matters of great consequence and sensitivity like this.”
“It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world,” he added. “It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners.”
“They stood up for democracy and human rights,” he said. “Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well. That’s who we are in the United States.”
Jewish groups welcomed the release of Gershkovich—arrested on espionage charges, which the Journal and the U.S. government said were a sham—and the other prisoners.
“Since the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in March 2023, Jewish Federations have been active in advocating for his release, including a letter-writing campaign in which nearly 3,000 people sent Rosh Hashanah wishes to Evan Gershkovich,” the Jewish Federations of North America stated.
“Today, Federations are overjoyed and relieved at the news of Evan’s release, along with the release of Paul Whalen and other political prisoners,” the Jewish Federations stated.
“Evan, our community has been incomplete without you. Welcome home,” the Jewish umbrella group added.
Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva are slated to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C. at about 11:30 p.m., when Biden is scheduled to greet them.
