People launched in Russian prisoner swap have arrived within the U.S.

Wall Avenue Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan landed within the U.S. late Thursday, after being included in a historic prisoner swap with Russia. 

Whelan exited the aircraft first at Joint Base Andrew in Maryland, adopted by Gershkovich and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who works for U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe. The trio exchanged handshakes and hugs with President Biden and Vice President Harris, and embraced their members of the family as onlookers cheered.

They had been amongst greater than a dozen prisoners launched by Russia in alternate for Russian prisoners held by america and international locations all through Europe, U.S. officers stated Thursday.

In all, 16 political prisoners, journalists and others, together with 5 Germans, had been exchanged for eight Russians jailed within the U.S., Germany, Norway, Slovenia and Poland. Among the many Russians is Vadim Krasikov, a convicted Russian state murderer in German custody, in addition to three different Russians in U.S. custody.

The prisoner alternate was one of many largest between america, its allies and Russia for the reason that finish of the Chilly Struggle.

“Not since the Cold War has there been a similar number of individuals exchanged in this way,” stated U.S. nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan, including the alternate was the “culmination of many rounds of complex painstaking negotiations over many, many months.”

Earlier, Biden stated the deal was “a feat of diplomacy” and thanked allies who labored with america on it.

“This is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend on,” he stated in an announcement.

Sullivan stated Biden would search to construct on the success to attempt to free Marc Fogel, a U.S. citizen nonetheless held in Russia, and different People held in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Gershkovich was arrested in Moscow in March 2023 and have become the primary U.S. journalist for the reason that Chilly Struggle to be charged with espionage. Final month, a Russian court docket sentenced him to 16 years in jail, after he was accused by the Russian prosecutor of working with the CIA to gather info on a Russian arms firm. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. authorities strenuously denied the allegations, and the U.S. thought-about Gershkovich wrongfully detained.

Whelan, a Marine Corps veteran who holds U.S., British, Irish and Canadian citizenship, was arrested in Russia in December 2018 on fees of espionage he strongly denied. A Moscow court docket sentenced him to 16 years in jail in June 2020.

Whelan’s case started receiving widespread consideration as a part of a failed proposal by the U.S. to carry him house, together with WNBA participant Brittney Griner, who served 293 days in a Russian penal colony for having hashish oil in her baggage. Griner returned to the U.S. in December 2022, however continued to advocate for Whelan’s launch.

“We are overwhelmed with joy and relief for the four U.S. citizens who returned safely to America today,” Griner and her spouse, Cherelle, stated in an announcement. “The Biden-Harris Adminstration showed true leadership once again by doing whatever it took to bring Americans home. Every American returned is a win.”

This can be a creating story.

NPR’s Rob Schmitz, Nick Spicer and Michele Keleman contributed to this report.