Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan released from Russia in major prisoner swap
(WASHINGTON EXAMINER) – Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former United States Marine Paul Whelan were released from Russian custody in a major prisoner swap. Bloomberg confirmed Gershkovich’s and Whelan’s release on Thursday, though the details of the agreement, including who else is being released, remain largely unknown and could include countries outside the U.S. and Russia.
The State Department had previously classified Whelan and Gershkovich as “wrongfully detained,” which is a legal definition given to Americans who the government believes were detained by a state or nonstate actor with the intent to use as leverage in negotiations. There are several Americans in Russian prisons without that designation who may or may not be included in the deal.
Whelan was arrested in 2018 on espionage charges that he and the U.S. government vehemently denied. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020 and has served about a fourth of his sentence. Gershkovich was arrested in the spring of 2023 on similar charges, which he, his employer, and the U.S. disputed, and he, too, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.