Eight Russian citizens have returned home following prisoner swap in Ankara – FSB

Exchange was made possible thanks to the work of Russian government agencies and foreign partners, Federal Security Service said

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has officially announced that eight Russian citizens have returned to their homeland following a prisoner exchange between Moscow and the West in Ankara on Thursday.

In a statement shared by the media, the FSB announced that the exchange was made possible thanks to the systematic work of Russian government agencies and foreign partners.

The service added that the Russian citizens were exchanged for a group of individuals who “acted in the interests of foreign states to the detriment of the security of the Russian Federation.”

The FSB also noted that along with the eight Russian nationals, minor children have also been returned to their homeland.

READ MORE: West and Russia engage in apparent major prisoner swap

The names of the Russian citizens released from the West have yet to be officially announced. 

It’s been confirmed however, that Moscow has released a total of 16 foreign nationals through the exchange, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and British-Russian citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza.