A plane carrying prisoners freed from Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, landed at Joint Airbase Andrews. The exchange, the largest in decades, involved the release of sixteen individuals, including other foreign citizens and political prisoners. Among those freed were former US marine Paul Whelan and joint US-Russian citizen Alsu Kurmasheva. The US government released a photo of the three individuals holding the American flag upon their arrival in Maryland.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greeted the released prisoners at the airbase, with Biden giving Paul Whelan his American flag pin. The Wall Street Journal’s editor-in-chief hailed the day as a joyous one, expressing gratitude for the voices raised for Gershkovich while he was in detention.
Biden lauded the global cooperation that led to the prisoner swap, thanking countries like Germany and Slovenia for their involvement. He dismissed concerns about future detentions, emphasizing the importance of bringing Americans home. Harris echoed the sentiment, praising the power of diplomacy.
The emotional reunion included family members embracing the freed prisoners, with Gershkovich hugging his mother and Biden welcoming them home. Gershkovich and the other released individuals chatted with their families and took selfies, marking the end of their ordeal in Russia. Harris and Biden emphasized the significance of diplomacy in securing their release, celebrating the positive outcome of the exchange.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com