American journalist Evan Gershkovich and US Marine veteran Paul Whelan were two of four former prisoners released from Russia yesterday who finally returned to the United States.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris stepped into the early morning darkness Wednesday to personally welcome home Americans freed by Russia during a rare prisoner swap on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
“Welcome home,” Biden declared on the tarmac after visiting with recently-freed prisoners. “There’s nothing beyond our capacity if we work together. Nothing…we’re the United States of America.”
The other released Americans included Alsu Kurmasheva and American green-card holder Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The four released prisoners did not speak to journalists but were welcomed with warm embraces from family members. Gershkovich was without a doubt embracing more than one person; some, if not most of which may presumably be fellow Wall Street Journal employees.
These prisoners have been re-booked on a flight to San Antonio, Texas for additional medical care.
When Harris addressed reporters saying: “This is an extraordinary day. I’m very thankful for our president and what he has done. This is an incredible day, and you can see it in the families.”
The detention of 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Gershkovich started back in March 29, 2023, during his coverage of a visit to the Ural Mountains city by Yekaterinburg when he was accused of espionage.
Whelan was convicted in December 2018 on charges of espionage that he and the U.S. had objected to from his arrest.
The swap of four American prisoners meant the US had to give eight Russian prisoners who were in U.S. custody.
The released prisoners who were previously 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.
