Major Prisoner Swap Marked by High-Profile Cases

A significant prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia resulted in the release of Americans, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan. The deal, described as the largest of its kind since the Cold War, involved the exchange of several prisoners, including a German hitman deemed critical to the negotiations. Following their release, the returnees were flown to Joint Base Andrews, where they were welcomed with gratitude and relief from family members. Gershkovich had been detained for over a year on espionage charges stemming from a secret trial that many viewed as unjust.