DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Joint Base Andrews: Three freed Americans back on US soil in Maryland after historic prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Elizabeth Whelan hugs her brother Paul Whelan at Joint Base Andrews following his release from a Russian prison. Alex Brandon/APPresident Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris walk with family members of the returning Americans to greet them at Joint Base Andrews. Today, their agony is over,” said Biden, who hosted the families of Gershkovich, Whelan, Kurmasheva and Kara-Murza at the White House. Whelan, Gershkovich and Kurmasheva flew roughly 10 hours from Ankara, Turkey, on top of a three hour and 45 minute flight from Moscow to Ankara. This is typical protocol for wrongfully detained Americans who return home.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Whelan, Gershkovich, Harris, Biden, Kurmasheva, “, ”, ” Biden, Feedback Biden, CNN Whelan, Vladimir Kara, Murza, –, Vadim Krasikov, Elizabeth Whelan, Joint Base Andrews, Alex Brandon, Base Andrews, Brittney Griner Organizations: CNN, Wall Street, Joint Base Andrews, Street Journal, US State Department, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Washington Post, Joint Base, Base, AP, White, National Security Council, State Department, Brooke Army Medical Center, Defense Department Locations: American, United States, Russia, Maryland, Moscow, Radio Free Europe, Germany, Poland, Norway, Slovenia, Gershkovich, Kara, Ankara, Turkey, San Antonio, PISA

☆ Children of Russian spy couple in prisoner swap only learned their nationality on flight to Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Anna Chernova | Radina Gigova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The children of two Russian intelligence agents, who were among the detainees released as part of a historic prisoner swap, only discovered their nationality when they were being flown to Moscow, the Kremlin said Friday. The pair had been posing as an Argentine couple in Slovenia where they were convicted of spying. Russian President Vladimir Putin greeted them on the tarmac in Spanish as they didn’t speak Russian and didn’t even know who Putin was, according to Peskov. “When the children came down the plane’s steps – they don’t speak Russian – and Putin greeted them in Spanish, he said ‘Buenas noches,’” Peskov said. While living undercover in Slovenia, Dultsev posed as an IT businessman named Ludvig Gisch.

Persons: Artem Dultsev, Anna Dultseva, “, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, –, ‘ Buenas, ” Peskov, ”, Dultseva, bouquets, Dultsev, Vadim Krasikov, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Ludvig Gisch, Maria Rosa Mayer Munos, Peskov Organizations: CNN, Wall Street, CIA Locations: Moscow, Argentine, Slovenia, Turkey, Russian, Ankara, ”, Spanish, Russia, Belarus, Germany, Berlin, Ljubljana, United States

☆ Freed American’s family to miss Taylor Swift concert for the very best reason
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Miriam Butorin was supposed to attend Taylor Swift’s concert on Friday for her 13th birthday. Miriam’s mother, Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, was released Thursday from Russian detention in a historic prisoner swap. When CNN spoke with Kurmasheva’s family in mid-July, her husband, Pavel Butorin, had mentioned the concert tickets. “We were so confident that she would get back to us that I bought Taylor Swift tickets…in June or July…for August 2024,” Butorin said at the time. Even though they are missing Friday’s concert, Butorin expressed confidence the family would still get to go to a Swift concert in the future.

Persons: CNN — Miriam Butorin, Taylor, Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Miriam, Pavel Butorin, Bibi Butorin, Miriam Butorin, Manuel Balce Ceneta, Biden, Kamala Harris, Kurmasheva’s, Taylor Swift, ” Butorin, “, ”, Butorin Organizations: CNN, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, White, Andrews Air Force Base, Base Andrews Locations: American, Radio Free Europe, Russia, United States, Maryland, Warsaw

☆ Opinion | Reflections About the Prisoner Swap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

To the Editor:Re “Journalists and Dissidents Freed From Russia in Swap of 24 Inmates” (front page, Aug. 2):As a former U.S. journalist in Moscow, I am naturally delighted that Evan Gershkovich is back at home after 16 months of wrongful detention in Russia. But it is galling to see him and other innocent Americans being exchanged in a Cold War-style spy swap for a trained assassin and long-term sleeper agents. Engaging in hostage diplomacy only encourages hostile governments to seize more Americans as hostages whenever they want to recover one of their own killers or spies. Even at the height of the Cold War, American journalists in Moscow never feared arbitrary detention in a K.G.B. It seems that the only language that authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin understand is reciprocity.

Persons: Freed, Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Putin, ” Organizations: “ Journalists Locations: Russia, U.S, Moscow, American, Russian

☆ A Triumphant Biden Welcomes 3 Freed Americans Home
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Wall Street Journal reporter greeted his waiting colleagues with a wide grin and open arms. In the middle of the emotional scene that unfolded on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews late Thursday was President Biden. Hours earlier, Mr. Biden had triumphantly announced that his administration’s diplomatic efforts had secured the release of three American prisoners held by Russia. “It feels wonderful,” Mr. Biden told reporters. And for Mr. Biden, they provided a seeming vindication of the type of patient, multilateral diplomacy that he proudly practices but that has so far proved unable to halt wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Persons: Base Andrews, Biden, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Mr, “ Organizations: Street, Base Locations: Russian American, Russia, Maryland, Gaza, Ukraine

☆ Putin got a pretty great deal, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe US claimed a major victory on Thursday, orchestrating a sweeping prisoner exchange with Russia that returned high-profile captives. Smiles in the KremlinAndrew Payne, a City University of London lecturer in foreign policy, told BI that Putin won the historic deal. "You could say in that sense that Putin got a better deal," Payne said. Though Putin won on a transactional level, the deal also greatly benefited Biden, Payne said. "For Biden, this deal signals that he's still in charge and still has what it takes to manage high-stakes diplomacy," he said.

Persons: —, Russia —, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Kremlin Andrew Payne, Putin, launderers, Payne, Joe Biden, Vadim Krasikov, Zelimkhan, Tucker Carlson, Sergej, Gershkovich, Emma Tucker, Sam Greene, Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: Service, Wall Street, Business, City University of London, Krasikov, European Resilience Initiative, BBC, Street, King's College London, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Kremlin, Berlin, Georgian, German, Ukraine, Moscow

☆ How Aleksei Navalny’s Death Restored Evan Gershkovich’s Life - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( M. Gessen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A few days ago, Russian political prisoners started vanishing from their prison colonies: Their lawyers would come to see them only to be told their clients were no longer there. The disappearance of an inmate is often bad news — it can mean a move to a more remote colony, illness or death. “A trade,” a prominent Russian in exile posted on his Facebook page, without bothering to explain the reference. “Definitely a trade,” posted a young Russian activist in exile, a day later. On Thursday, Russia released the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, along with 15 other inmates.

Persons: ”, “, Evan Gershkovich, Vadim Krasikov, Christo Grozev, Maria Pevchikh, Aleksei Navalny Organizations: Street Locations: Russian, Russia, Germany, United States, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Vienna, Los Angeles

Among the Americans freed from Russia on Thursday was the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The prisoner exchange involved the release of two dozen people. Credit... Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Haiyun Jiang Organizations: Street, The New York Locations: Russia

☆ Evan Gershkovich’s close friend reflects on his return
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Annie Klingenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

How relevant is this ad to you? Video player was slow to load content Video content never loaded Ad froze or did not finish loading Video content did not start after ad Audio on ad was too loud Other issues

☆ Photos capture the moment Americans released in a historic prisoner swap touch down on US soil
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Sarah Gray | Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewThe Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kumasheva touched down at Joint Base Andrews on Thursday night. The trio were greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after being freed from detention in Russia as part of a massive multi-country prisoner swap, the largest exchange in post-Soviet history. Former US Marine Paul Whelan was the first to disembark, where he was greeted by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Evan Gershkovich hugging his mother Ella Milman after speaking to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Persons: —, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kumasheva, Joint Base Andrews, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Whelan, Whelan's, David, Whelan wasn't, Britney Griner, Paul, Former US Marine Paul Whelan, Andrew Harnik, Gershkovich, Ella Milman, Kurmasheva, Pavel Butorin, Bibi, Miriam, Kevin Mohatt Organizations: Service, Street, Radio Free, Radio Liberty, Joint Base, Business, Marine, CBS, Former US Marine, Getty, Reuters, Brooke Army Medical Center Locations: Radio Free Europe, Russia, American, San Antonio , Texas

☆ How the Russian prisoner swap that freed Evan Gershkovich unfolded over two years
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carol-Lee-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Carol E. Lee | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The effort took on extra urgency in March 2023, when the Russians arrested Gershkovich, a senior administration official said. Days later, NBC News reported that a deal that could have sprung Navalny, Gershkovich and Whelan had been in the works. After Biden and Scholz met on Feb. 9, Scholz told Biden he was on board. Vice President Kamala Harris also discussed the prisoner swap with Scholz, telling him that Krasikov was a critical component of getting a prisoner swap with Russia, a White House official said. That was when he called the Slovenian prime minister to make sure his country was ready to release the Russian in their custody.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Brittney Griner, Biden, Viktor Bout, Paul Whelan ’, Whelan, Paul Whelan, Antony Blinken, “, ” Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, Gershkovich, Blinken, Lavrov, ” Lavrov, ”, ” Gershkovich, Alexei Navalny, Navalny, Vadim Krasikov, Zelimkhan, Olaf Scholz, Krasikov, Griner, Whalen, Joe Biden, Scholz, Kamala Harris, Jake Sullivan, Elizabeth Whelan, Sullivan, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kurmasheva, ” Biden Organizations: Wall Street, Marine, AP, NBC News, Berlin, White, Biden Locations: Russia, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Berlin, Moscow, Germany, Chechen, Russian, U.S, Nevada, Slovenian

It’s rare for Russian criminal hackers to land in U.S. prisons and even rarer for them to get out early. But two of the eight Russians released in Thursday’s prisoner swap with the U.S. are seasoned cybercriminals. It is believed to be the first time the U.S. has released international hackers in a prisoner exchange, according to cybercrime experts and a review conducted by NBC News. The two convicted Russian hackers, Vladislav Klyushin and Roman Seleznev, are in their early 40s. Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP - Getty ImagesThat was true for the men released Thursday.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Vladislav Klyushin, Klyushin, Seleznev, Todd Carroll, “ It’s, ” Carroll, ”, “, “ I’m, Natalia Kolesnikova, Philip Reiner, they’ve, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: U.S, Kremlin, Wall, ., NBC News, FBI, Getty, Institute for Security, Technology Locations: U.S, United States, Russia, Russian, Sverdlovsk Regional, Yekaterinburg, AFP, Sion , Switzerland, Seleznev, Maldives

☆ Harris' running mate search nears the finish line: From the Politics Desk
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( The Politics Desk | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

In today’s edition, we report on how Vice President Kamala Harris' search for a running mate is nearing the finish line. Harris' VP search nears the endBy Yamiche Alcindor, Julie Tsirkin and Rebecca ShabadThe vetting team for Vice President Kamala Harris has met with six potential running mates as her selection process nears its end, two sources familiar with the campaign said. Shapiro met with Harris’ vetting team on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the meeting. The vice president was not present, the source said. Read more →The Democratic National Committee’s virtual roll call to officially nominate Harris for president began at 9 a.m.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Jonathan Allen, Donald Trump, Harris, Yamiche Alcindor, Julie Tsirkin, Rebecca Shabad, Andy Beshear, Pete Buttigieg Arizona Sen, Mark Kelly Illinois, JB Pritzker, Josh Shapiro Minnesota, Tim Walz, Joe Biden, Shapiro, Manuel Bonder, ” Bonder, Kelly, ” Pritzker, Walz, “ I’m, ” Walz, Read, Allan Smith, →, hasn’t, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Kamala Harris ’, Trump, ” That’s, ”, Scott Olson, Vance, Joe Biden —, Archie Bunker, Harris doesn’t, that’s, —, Sen, Rea, sid e nt began, m. E, mary day in Organizations: NBC, White House, Capitol, Mark Kelly Illinois Gov, Hamptons, PAC, NBC News, Democratic, National Association of Black Journalists, GOP, ’, Trump, SC O Locations: Kentucky, Philadelphia, Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh , North Carolina, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Savannah , Georgia, Israel, Gaza, Chicago, Indian American, Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, —

☆ WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, ex-Marine Whelan released in U.S., Russia prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

watch nowWall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released Thursday by Russia as part of a major, multi-nation swap of two dozen prisoners. "All four have been imprisoned unjustly in Russia," President Joe Biden said in a televised address from the White House, where he was flanked by their family members. Eight Russians, including the spy and convicted hitman Vadim Krasikov, are being returned to Russia from the United States, Slovenia, Norway, Poland and Germany. "The deal that secured their freedom was a feat of diplomacy," Biden said in a statement released by the White House, where Biden planned to meet family members of the released Americans. U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about the release of Americans detained in Russia during brief remarks from the White House in Washington, U.S., August 1, 2024.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, U.S . Marine Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Joe Biden, Vadim Krasikov, Paul Whelan, Krasikov, Gershkovich, Whelan, Kurmasheva, Kara, Biden, we've, Jake Sullivan, " Sullivan, Nathan Howard, Reuters Gershkovich, Dieter Voronin, Kevin Lick, Rico Krieger, Patrick Schoebel, Herman Moyzhes, Ilya Yashin, Liliya, Kseniya Fadeyeva, Vadim Ostanin, Andrey Pivovarov, Oleg Orlov, Sasha Skochilenko, Artem Viktorovich Dultsev, Anna Valerevna Dultseva, Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, Pavel Alekseyevich Rubtsov, Roman Seleznev, Vladislav Klyushin, Vadim Konoshchenock Organizations: Wall Street, U.S . Marine, White, Biden, National, Reuters Locations: Russia, American, Russian, Turkey, United States, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Germany, Chechen, Berlin, Washington , U.S, Moscow

☆ Who was freed in major prisoner swap between Russia and the West?
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The German court that convicted Krasikov in 2021 said he acted on behalf of the Russian state, shooting Khangoshvili “execution style” in broad daylight. Vadim Konoshchenok, 48An undated photo of Vadim Konoshchenok included in a 2022 court document. He was arrested in February 2022, according to the Polish state news agency PAP. Lilia Chanysheva, 42Lilia Chanysheva stands is seen during a hearing at the Kirovskiy District Court in Ufa, Russia, on June 14, 2023. He was sentenced to four years in a penal colony in July 2022, according to Amnesty International.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Vadim Krasikov, Vadim Krasikov Berlin Police Krasikov, Krasikov, Zelimkhan, Khangoshvili, Ramzan Kadyrov, Putin, Viktor Bout, Whelan, Brittney, Biden, Alexey Navalny, Vadim Konoshchenok, Konoshchenok, Vladislav Klyushin, Klyushin, Roman Seleznev, US Department of Justice Roman Seleznev, Seleznev, Artem Dultsev, Ludvig Gish, Anna Dultseva, Dultsev, Maria Rosa Mayer Munos, Mikhail Mikushin, Pavel Rubtsov, Pablo Gonzalez, Oihana Goiriena, Vincent West, Pablo Gonzales, Natalia Kolesnikova, Kirill Kudryavtsev, US Marine Whelan, Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, Liberty Alsu Kurmasheva, Alexey Nasyrov, Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kara, Vladimir Putin’s “, ”, Rico Krieger, Krieger, Alexander Lukashenko, Kevin Lik, Lick, Dieter, Voronin, Ivan Safronov, Roscosmos, Demuri Voronin, Safronov, Herman Moyzhes, Moyzhes, Patrick Schoebel, Schoebel, Ilya Yashin, Yuri Kochetkov, ” Alexandra Skochilenko, Alexandra Skochilenko, Anton Vaganov, Skochilenko, “, ” Oleg Orlov, Oleg Orlov, Lilia Chanysheva, Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva, Maxim Shemetov, Fadeeva, Vadim Ostanin, Alexei Navalny’s, Ostanin, Andrei Pivovarov, Pivovarov Organizations: CNN, Vadim Krasikov Berlin Police, Chechen, Russian, Krasikov, US Department of Justice, US, Office, Eastern, of, Attorney's, University of Tromsø, Reuters, Court, Getty, Street, US Marine, US State Department, Radio Free, Liberty, AP, Belarusian TV, Belteleradio, Human Rights, German Red Cross, TASS, German Federal Intelligence Service, Pulkovo, Ukraine, Amnesty International Locations: American, Russia, Moscow, Berlin’s Kleiner, Russian, Georgia, Estonia, of New York, Boston, Sion , Switzerland, United States, Maldives, Slovenia, Ljubljana, Norway, Brazilian, Nabarniz, Spain, Poland, Spanish, Sverdlovsk, AFP, Irish, Radio Free Europe, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Belarusian, German, Belarus, Berlin, Germany, Europe, St . Petersburg, St, Petersburg, Meshansky, Bucha, Kyiv, Saint Petersburg, Kirovskiy, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Tomsk, Krasnodar

The Russian officials took the proposal back to Moscow. It was a remarkably swift conclusion to years of painstaking negotiations between the US and more than half a dozen countries. Key to the deal was President Biden’s ability to persuade German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to release Krasikov, the Russian prisoner most keenly sought by Putin. Officials worked quietly throughout this year to get the German government to agree to release Krasikov — including entreaties from both Biden and Harris. President Biden sent a letter to Scholz in April, and the Germans at last agreed to release Krasikov in early June.

Persons: CNN —, Vadim Krasikov, who’d, who’s, Vladimir Putin, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Bill Burns, Gershkovich, Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Kurmasheva, Joe Biden, Biden, Kamala Harris, Serdar Ozsoy, Biden’s, Olaf Scholz, Putin, Krasikov, Brittney Griner, Burns, –, Viktor Bout, Alexey Navalny, Brendan Smialowski, Antony Blinken, James Rubin, Blinken, Annalena Baerbock, Jake Sullivan, Harris, Scholz, “ Chancellor Scholz, “, Jake, ‘, ’, Sullivan, Navalny, Paul, Evan, ”, Ronald Wittek, Kara, Robert Golob, Kurmasheva’s, Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Carstens, Jeff Flake, ” Flake, Flake, ” Sullivan Organizations: CNN, CIA, Wall Street, White, Base Andrews, Aircraft, Ankara Esenboga Airport, US Marine, WNBA, State Department, National Security Council, Krasikov, Getty, German, National, Biden, Munich, Conference, US, Munich Security, Aspen Security, Street, Hostage Affairs Locations: Eastern, Russia, Russian, Berlin, Moscow, American, Turkey, Ankara, Chechen, Slovenia, Norway, Poland, Washington , DC, AFP, Germany, ”, Munich, Washington, Slovenian, Mordovia, “

☆ Who Is the Russian Assassin Freed as Part of a Sweeping Prisoner Swap?
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The assassination took place in broad daylight in a downtown Berlin park. The Russian gunman pedalled up on a bicycle before shooting a former Chechen separatist fighter in the head as children and their parents looked on. On Thursday, he was freed as part of the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War. The deal also included numerous Russian political dissidents that the Kremlin released from jail, while Western nations traded eight Russian prisoners. Mr. Krasikov, in his late 50s, appeared to be the linchpin of the multifaceted deal, since Mr. Putin himself indicated that was whom he wanted.

Persons: pedalled, Vadim Krasikov, Vladimir V, Putin, — Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, Paul Whelan, —, Krasikov Organizations: Street, U.S . Marine, Kremlin, Western Locations: Berlin, Chechen, Germany, Russia, U.S

☆ Prisoner swap underway between the U.S., Russia, and other countries, senior official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, smiles from inside a glass defendants' cage prior to a hearing in Yekaterinburg's Sverdlovsk Regional Court on June 26, 2024. A prisoner swap was underway between the United States, Russia, and other countries on Thursday, according to a senior Biden administration official. Relations between the two countries had been strained before the invasion, following Russian interference in the 2016 election and its annexation of Crimea. The most high-profile known U.S. prisoners in Russia right now are Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. Gershkovich, 32, detained in March 2023, was convicted by a Russian court earlier this year and sentenced to 16 years in prison in July.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, U.S . Marine Paul Whelan, Whelan Organizations: Court, Biden, U.S, Wall Street, U.S . Marine Locations: Sverdlovsk, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea

☆ Read Biden's statement on the release of Evan Gershkovich and other Americans imprisoned in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Read previewThe United States has agreed to a historic prisoner swap — the largest since the Cold War — with Russia and several other countries, the White House announced on Thursday. President Joe Biden had a direct hand in the negotiations that lead to the release of 16 prisoners in Russia, including five Germans, seven Russian citizens held in their own country, and 4 Americans, the White House said in a press release. The Americans include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was first detained in 2023 and sentenced to 16 years in prison in July on charges of espionage. AdvertisementRead Biden's full statement on the release below.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Evan Gershkovich, U.S . Marine Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Vladimir Kara, Muza Organizations: Service, White, Business, Wall Street, U.S . Marine Locations: States, Russia, U.S, American

☆ Videos show the moment Americans were freed from Russian captivity after high-stakes prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewNew video footage reveals the moment that Russia freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and others in a massive prisoner swap that took place in Turkey on Thursday. Gershkovich, Whelan, and 14 others were released as part of a historic and high-stakes exchange with Russia that marked the most complex prisoner swap since the Cold War. Russia's Federal Security Service, more commonly known as the FSB, released several videos of the tense prisoner exchange at an airport in Turkey. AdvertisementThe Russian FSB released a video showing prisoners from the Russian side being loaded onto a plane bound for Turkey for a prisoner exchange. AdvertisementWhite House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that he could confirm there was no money exchanged or sanctions loosened to facilitate the prisoner swap.

Persons: —, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Gershkovich, Whelan, Joe Biden, Rico Krieger, — Hanna Liubakova, we've, Biden, Evan Greshkovich, eason, hite, J ake S ullivan, ould Organizations: Service, Wall Street, Business, Russia's Federal Security Service, RIA Novosti, FSB, Russian Federal Security Service, lsu Locations: Russia, Turkey, Russia's, Moscow, Ankara, Belarus

A turning point came on June 25, when a group of C.I.A. officers sat across from their Russian counterparts during a secret meeting in a Middle Eastern capital. Quiet negotiations between the United States and Russia over a possible prisoner swap had dragged on for more than a year. They were punctuated by only occasional glimpses of hope for the families of the American prisoners — including Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Paul Whelan, an American security contractor — growing increasingly impatient for their ordeal to end. But the June meeting changed things, according to accounts from American and Western officials and other people familiar with the long process of bringing the deal to fruition.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan Organizations: Wall Street Journal Locations: Russia, United States, Europe, Moscow, American

☆ Fact check: Trump, who approved multiple prisoner exchanges, falsely claims he gave up ‘nothing’ to get Americans back
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After President Joe Biden proved the claim wrong on Thursday by securing the release of Gershkovich and others in a multi-country prisoner exchange, Trump posted a series of skeptical questions on social media. Among other things, Trump wrote: “Are we releasing murderers, killers, or thugs? FactCheck.org debunked this Trump claim about his record on securing the release of American prisoners abroad when he previously made it in 2022. Trump acknowledged at the time that this was a prisoner exchange, telling reporters in 2019: “Yeah, we’re very happy to have our hostage back. And there was a one-on-one hostage swap.”Federal prosecutors also dropped charges against the Iranian scientist’s two co-defendants soon after the prisoner exchange.

Persons: Donald Trump, Evan Gershkovich, Joe Biden, Gershkovich, Trump, ’, Jake Sullivan, FactCheck.org, –, Xiyue Wang, Kevin King, Timothy Weeks, Michael White, Sandra Loli, Mikael Gidada, Turkey Trump, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Andrew Brunson, Erdogan, Brunson Organizations: Washington CNN —, Wall Street, Biden White House, Trump, Republican, Princeton University, Navy Locations: Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Oman, Turkey, Israel, Turkish

Russia freed two political prisoners in a major exchange with the US, Bloomberg and others reported. The swap was said to involve Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementRussia freed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan in an exchange with the US, Bloomberg reported Thursday. Gershkovich and Whelan were on their way to undisclosed locations outside Russia, per the outlet.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, —, Gershkovich, Whelan Organizations: US, Bloomberg, Wall, Service, Wall Street, Business Locations: Russia

☆ Champagne and cheers: The Wall Street Journal fought for Evan Gershkovich’s release for 16 months. It finally paid off
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

When official word made its way to The Wall Street Journal newsroom that Evan Gershkovich had been released from Russian custody Thursday, unadulterated elation washed over the journalists who had taken part in a 16-month-long pressure campaign to seek his freedom. Meanwhile, The Journal labored behind the scenes with President Joe Biden and his administration on efforts to secure Gershkovich’s release. The Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker reacts to the news of Evan Gershkovich’s release. Chase Gaewski/The Wall Street JournalRobert Thomson, chief executive of News Corporation, which owns The Journal, offered his “sincere gratitude” to the U.S. government for its efforts. “Unfortunately, many journalists remain unjustly imprisoned in Russia and around the world.”Throughout it all, Gershkovich never lost his spirit as a journalist.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, “, ” Emma Tucker, Gershkovich, Vladimir Putin’s, Alexey Navalny, Alsu Kurmasheva, Gershkovich’s, Joe Biden, Emma Tucker, Evan Gershkovich’s, Chase Gaewski, Robert Thomson, Thomson, Rupert, Lachlan Murdoch, ”, Tucker, Biden, Evan, Almar Latour, Putin Organizations: CNN, Wall Street Journal, New York, American Radio Free, Radio Liberty, U.S, Street, News Corporation Locations: York, Russian, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Russia, American Radio Free Europe, Gershkovich

☆ Released Reporter Was Caught in Oppression His Parents Had Fled
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He was raised by émigré Soviet parents in New Jersey but returned to work in their native land, only to be trapped in the repressive machinery that they had sought to escape. The parents of Evan Gershkovich, The Wall Street Journal reporter released on Thursday in a far-reaching prisoner exchange with Russia, left the Soviet Union separately in 1979, fleeing antisemitism and a lack of opportunity. Mikhail Gershkovich and Ella Milman met and married in the United States, where they raised Evan and his older sister, Danielle, with a foot in both cultures, teaching them fluent Russian. In 2017, the younger Mr. Gershkovich moved to Moscow to work for The Moscow Times, a local English-language daily, and worked his way through various news agencies until he joined The Journal as a reporter in January 2022. He was fulfilling his dream of becoming a foreign correspondent, but he ended up spending his 32nd birthday in Lefortovo, a notorious Moscow prison.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Mikhail Gershkovich, Ella Milman, Evan, Danielle, Gershkovich Organizations: Street, Moscow Times Locations: Soviet, New Jersey, Russia, Soviet Union, United States, Moscow, Lefortovo

Search resuls for: "gershkovich"

25 mentions found