Russia Freeing Evan Gershkovich And Dozens Of Other Political Prisoners: Reports

Russia will soon release multiple political prisoners, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, according to Bloomberg News.

The Moscow Times first reported on Wednesday, citing an anonymous source, that the upcoming exchange could involve Russia turning over between as many as 20 to 30 political prisoners and journalists to the United States and Germany.

Among those prisoners is Gershkovich, who was convicted in July of espionage and sentenced to 16 years on charges that both the Wall Street Journal and the US government reject as made-up.

Former US Marine Paul Whelan will also be part of the swap, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the situation.

Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg, where he was accused of spying for the US. He has been behind bars ever since.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.