WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan are dramatically RELEASED by Russia as part of major prisoner swap with US

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan have been released from jail in Russia.

The men were let go as part of a major prisoner swap with Moscow, said to involve around 20 to 30 political prisoners.

Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 on espionage charges that the United States says are illegitimate. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in July.

Whelan, 54, has been imprisoned in Russia since 2018 on spying charges. The US has denied he was ever involved in espionage operations. 

Speculation that a prisoner swap was imminent was raised by Slovenian broadcaster, N1 Slovenia, earlier this week.

The reports cited an exchange including the US, Germany, Russia and Belarus.

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