Russia and Western countries agree on a 24-prisoner exchange
Stockholm, August 2 (Hibya) - According to Russia Today, citing CBS, Russia and several Western countries, including Germany and the United States, have agreed on a mixed exchange of 24 prisoners.
CBS removed all references to the exact number of prisoners involved in the exchange shortly after the news was initially published.
According to reports, the exchange involves the release of three American citizens imprisoned in Russia: Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
In its updated report, CBS states that Germany is expected to receive at least 12 prisoners held in Russia, while Moscow will receive eight of its citizens in return.
It is noted that among these eight is Vadim Krasikov, convicted of the 2021 murder of a former Chechen militant commander in Germany.
It is also reported that Russian-British imprisoned oppositionist Vladimir Kara-Murza is included in the exchange, although his current location is unknown.
Details about the timing of the exchange remain unclear, but CNN, citing anonymous sources, claims that the exchange is already underway.
Moscow has so far refused to confirm the exchange. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports of the prisoner exchange that were said to have taken place in Turkey.
Meanwhile, Turkish news agency NTV reported that as part of the mass prisoner exchange in Ankara, ten prisoners were sent to Russia, 13 to Germany, and three to the United States.
The latest prisoner exchange appears to be the most significant between Russia and the West since December 2022.
Albania News Agency