Biden says ‘agony is over’ as White House confirms widescale prisoner swap with Russia

US President Joe Biden has hailed the release of “three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia”, in a statement issued by The White House on Thursday following the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War taking place in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Confirming that Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza were “finally coming home”, Biden praised the work of US allies Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey, and all those involved in the “tough, complex negotiations” required to reach the desired outcome: the release of 16 people unjustly incarcerated in Russia.

“All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty,” Biden said.“Today, their agony is over.”

A total of 26 prisoners from seven countries were successfully exchanged at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Turkey on Thursday, according to Turkish intelligence agency MIT, which mediated the swap. Of those swapped, 10 are now heading to Russia, while 13 are flying to Germany and another three to the United States, Turkish channel NTV said.

The swap, which is by far the biggest international prisoner exchange since the Cold War, involved Russia releasing 16 prisoners including Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Alsu Kurmasheva, Andrey Pivovarov, Oleg Orlov, Alexandra Skochilenko, Liliya Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeyeva, Evan Gershkovich, Rico Krieger, Kevin Lik, Demuri Voronin, Vadim Ostanin, Patrick Schoebel, Paul Whelan and German Moyzhes, according to independent Russian media outlet The Insider.

In return, Russia was reportedly handed Vadim Krasikov, Artyom Dultsev, Anna Dultseva, Mikhail Mikushin, Pavel Rubtsov, Roman Seleznyov, Vladislav Klyushin and Vadim Konoschenok.