Nearly one year ago, the family of Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva purchased tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday as a birthday gift for her daughter Miriam. Now Miriam, who turns 13 on Friday, gets to celebrate a more special gift: her mother’s freedom and safe return. From left, Pavel Butorin, Bibi Butorin, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Miriam Butorin at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Aug. 1, 2024. “The Taylor Swift tickets were the original birthday gift for Miriam who turns 13 today. Her original birthday gift were these Taylor Swift tickets, but an even bigger present was her mom returning,” he said.

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Persons: Alsu Kurmasheva, Taylor, Miriam, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan —, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Pavel Butorin, Bibi Butorin, Miriam Butorin, Roberto Schmidt, ” Ari Goldberg, “, Alsu, ” Goldberg, Taylor Swift, ”, It's, Bibi, Kurmasheva Organizations: Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Wall Street, Marine, Joint Base Andrews, AFP, Getty, today’s, RFE, Inc, NBC Locations: American, Warsaw, Poland, Radio Free Europe, Russia, U.S, Maryland, today’s Warsaw