A Triumphant Homecoming: Americans Return After Major Prisoner Swap with Russia

In an emotional reunion at Andrews Air Force Base, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, ex-marine Paul Whelan, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva were greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after being freed in the largest US-Russia prisoner exchange since the Cold War. The trio, along with other political prisoners, arrived from Turkey, met by ecstatic family members and a swarm of journalists.

Gershkovich, detained for 491 days, expressed gratitude and concern for lesser-known Russian political prisoners, while Whelan, held on espionage charges since 2018, looked forward to a steak. Kurmasheva, sentenced for failing to register as a foreign agent, reunited with her daughters and husband. The swap included notable Russian figures like opposition leader Ilya Yashin and British-Russian politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, amidst calls for continued advocacy for political prisoners. The Biden administration emphasized the importance of diplomacy, dismissing concerns about incentivizing further detentions .