Citing reports from Bloomberg, online British media outlet The Guardian reports that Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been in a Russian prison since 2023, is part of a major prisoner exchange between Russia and the West.
The Guardian reports Gershkovich has been freed from a Russian prison, adding that sources familiar with the situation and the planned prisoner exchange confirmed to the Guardian that a major swap would take place on Thursday in a location outside Russia.
The same sources, as per the Guardian refrained from providing any specific details on the unfolding developments until the swap had concluded due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Gershkovich and the former US marine Paul Whelan, who were both accused by Russia of espionage, had already been freed and were en route to a destination outside Russia, Bloomberg reported.
The prisoner swap will also involve Russian political prisoners being freed as well as numerous Russians jailed in the West for espionage, murder, and other crimes being returned to Russia, according to the Guardian.
The Wall Street Journal reporter was sentenced to 16 years in prison last month on charges of espionage after being arrested in March 2023 while reporting in the city of Ekaterinburg. The US government and the WSJ had dismissed the charges as “nonsense”.
