Hypothesis a few potential main prisoner swap between the US and Russia bubbled up this week.
Russian and US officers haven’t confirmed or commented on a possible prisoner swap. The US State Division and the Russian embassy within the US didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark from Enterprise Insider.
Russian jail officers informed Reuters on Wednesday that Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian dissident and Putin rival who was imprisoned for criticizing the battle in Ukraine, was moved from the penal colony in Siberia the place he was being held.
He was amongst a number of prisoners who’ve lately been moved from Russian prisons, fueling the mounting hypothesis {that a} prisoner swap was coming.
Paul Whelan, a former US marine accused of espionage, additionally disappeared from the Russian jail the place he was being held, his lawyer mentioned, in keeping with Reuters.
“There are rumors a few doable change,” Whelan’s lawyer, Olga Karlova, mentioned to Interfax, a Russian information company, in keeping with The Washington Publish. “I despatched a request to the colony administration, however they don’t seem to be responding.”
Senior Russian officers have mentioned Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Road Journal reporter, is among the many prisoners that may very well be swapped in a possible change, The Publish reported.
Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 and accused of espionage, a cost that he, the Journal, and US officers have denied. He was sentenced to 16 years in jail earlier this month.
