Catch and release

In pictures: the dramatic exchange of 24 prisoners between Russia and the West

The 16 people freed from Russian jails on Thursday in the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War received a hero’s welcome from their families, friends, and the politicians that worked for their release upon their arrival in Washington DC and Cologne in the early hours of Friday morning.

US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris were at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington to meet freed journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva and former US Marine Paul Whelan as they stepped off the plane from Ankara, with both politicians embracing each returnee as they stepped back onto US soil.

At Cologne Bonn Airport, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz joined crowds of supporters and journalists, including allies of the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny, in anticipation of a second plane’s arrival from Ankara carrying the remaining freed prisoners including politician Ilya Yashin, Navalny campaigner Vadim Ostanin and anti-war artist Sasha Skochilenko, among others.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, the red carpet was rolled out and a guard of honour was laid on at Vnukovo Airport as Vladimir Putin personally met the eight Russian citizens returned as part of the unprecedented deal with the West, including a convicted murderer, numerous Russian intelligence agents and various fraudsters.

Novaya Europe has selected some of the most striking images from the past 24 hours.