American journalist Evan Gershkovich and Navy veteran Paul Whelan were among four former prisoners released from Russia yesterday who finally set foot back on US soil on Thursday night.
A plane carrying Americans freed by Russia in a massive prisoner swap landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where it was greeted on the tarmac by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Welcome home,” Biden told reporters on the tarmac after visiting the released prisoners. “There is nothing that is beyond our ability if we work together. Nothing… we are the United States of America.”
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE PRISONER SWAP TO FREE WSJ REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH FROM RUSSIAN PRISON
Evan Gershkovich, followed by his mother Ella Milman, smiles as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Aug. 1, 2024. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, veteran Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva were the three Americans released, as well as American green card holder Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The four freed prisoners did not speak to reporters, but were greeted and hugged by loved ones. Gershkovich was seen hugging several people, many of whom may have been colleagues at the Wall Street Journal. The newly released prisoners are now scheduled to travel to San Antonio, Texas, for further medical evaluation.
Speaking to reporters, Harris said: “This is an extraordinary day. I'm so grateful for our president and what he's done. It's an incredible day and it shows in the families.”
WHITE HOUSE TAKES ALL CREDIT FOR FREEING AMERICANS UNJUSTLY DETAINED IN RUSSIA: 'THE VINTAGE JOE BIDEN'
President Joe Biden greets Paul Whelan, who was released from detention in Russia, upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., Aug. 1, 2024. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)
Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal journalist, was arrested on March 29, 2023 while reporting on a trip to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg. He was charged with espionage.
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Whelan was jailed in December 2018 on espionage-related charges that he and the US government disputed from the start.
In the exchange of 24 prisoners across several countries, Russia negotiated the release of eight prisoners held in U.S. custody in exchange for the release of the Americans.
The released prisoners who had been held captive in the U.S. were Vadim Krasikov from Germany; Artem Viktorovich Dultsev from Slovenia; Anna Valerevna Dultseva from Slovenia; Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin from Norway; Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov from Poland; Roman Seleznev from the U.S.; Vladislav Klyushin from the U.S.; and Vadim Konoshchenock from the U.S.
