Russian Assassin Freed In Biggest Post-Cold War Prisoner Swap
6 weeks ago
Among the eight prisoners sent back to Russia was Vadim Krasikov.
Krasikov is a colonel in the Russian FSB security service who was serving a life sentence in Germany for murdering an exiled dissident in a Berlin park.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had indicated that Krasikov was the Russian prisoner he wanted swapped for Gershkovich.
Germany's government said releasing Krasikov was not an easy decision.
Other Russian detainees freed in the exchange included Roman Seleznev, convicted in the U.S. on hacking-related crimes– and the Dultsevs, a Russian family found guilty by a Slovenian court of pretending to be Argentinians for purposes of espionage.
Russia also released several jailed dissents, including Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The Russian-British national, who has ties to the U.S., was serving 25 years in a Siberian penal colony.
He was convicted of treason last year after saying Putin was bombing Ukrainian homes, hospitals and schools.
The dissidents are designated by Moscow as dangerous extremists, but are seen by governments and activists in the West as wrongfully detailed political prisoners.
Krasikov is a colonel in the Russian FSB security service who was serving a life sentence in Germany for murdering an exiled dissident in a Berlin park.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had indicated that Krasikov was the Russian prisoner he wanted swapped for Gershkovich.
Germany's government said releasing Krasikov was not an easy decision.
Other Russian detainees freed in the exchange included Roman Seleznev, convicted in the U.S. on hacking-related crimes– and the Dultsevs, a Russian family found guilty by a Slovenian court of pretending to be Argentinians for purposes of espionage.
Russia also released several jailed dissents, including Vladimir Kara-Murza.
The Russian-British national, who has ties to the U.S., was serving 25 years in a Siberian penal colony.
He was convicted of treason last year after saying Putin was bombing Ukrainian homes, hospitals and schools.
The dissidents are designated by Moscow as dangerous extremists, but are seen by governments and activists in the West as wrongfully detailed political prisoners.
