ISTANBUL: Turkish TV channel NTV reported that 26 prisoners were exchanged between Russia and the United States at Ankara airport.
The Turkish agency Ihlas Haber Ajans was the first to report that the exchange ultimately took place at Ankara airport, specifying that the prisoner exchange was carried out under the coordination of the Turkish Intelligence Service (MIT).Kommersant
According to NTV, 10 of the released prisoners are heading to Russia, 13 to Germany, and three to the United States.
A prisoner swap was carried out between Russia and the US at Ankara Esenboğa Airport under the coordination of MIT. In a statement made by MIT, it was stated that "Our organization has undertaken a major mediation role in this swap operation, which is the most comprehensive of the recent period." Among the people exchanged are 26 people, 3 US and 8 Russians.
The largest prisoner swap since World War II was carried out between the US and Russia under the coordination of the National Intelligence Organization. It was announced that the prisoners in the swap were from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus.
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SWAP BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE US
An agreement was reached between Russia and the US on a comprehensive prisoner swap. It was stated that 3 US citizens and Russian prisoners, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who were imprisoned in Russia, will be released today as part of the agreement that includes the US and Russia, as well as Germany, Slovenia and Belarus.
A senior US official confirmed that Gershkovich, as well as US Marine Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsou Kurmasheva, will also be released as part of the agreement accepted by the Biden administration.
26 PEOPLE ARE BEING EXCHANGED FROM PRISONS IN 7 COUNTRIES
While 26 people were being exchanged from prisons in 7 countries within the scope of the agreement, names that are frequently heard in the public such as The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and US Marine Paul Whelan, who are in prison in the Russian Federation, German mercenary Rico Krieger, who is in prison in Belarus, Russian dissident Ilya Yashin and FSB officer Vadim Krasikov, who is in prison in Germany, were among them.
The statement stated that detailed information about the swap will be shared later.
"OUR ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN A MAJOR MEDIATORY ROLE"
A statement from MIT said, "A swap operation will take place today under the coordination of our organization. Our organization has taken on a major mediator role in this swap operation, which is the most comprehensive in recent times."
This operation went down in history as the most comprehensive hostage exchange between the US, Russia and Germany in recent years. MIT ensured the establishment of dialogue channels for this historical operation. The parties were brought together in Turkey in July 2024 with the organization of MIT, which effectively uses intelligence diplomacy.
Negotiations were held for the swap activity to be carried out between citizens of Western countries and Russian citizens who are in prison in the US, Germany, Poland, Norway, Slovenia, Russia and Belarus. MIT successfully carried out the mediation activity from the beginning to the end of the negotiations. Important names that all parties have wanted for a long time and that have resonated in the local press have been subject to exchange as part of the swap.
PUTIN HAD SIGNALED LAST YEAR
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed in an interview with conservative US journalist Tucker Carlson last year that Washington and Moscow were in contact about a possible prisoner swap and described the dialogue as "not easy". However, the Kremlin has consistently avoided disclosing details of such talks, saying that such sensitive issues "like silence".
THE SECOND SWAP IN DOHA
Speaking to The Daily Beast, researchers Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov said that the "second part" of the swap, which took place in Ankara, will probably take place in Doha, Qatar. The swap was negotiated between Russia, Belarus, the US and Germany.
THE LAST SWAP WAS MADE IN 2022
A prisoner swap was previously held between Russia and Ukraine in Ankara. Additionally, in 2022, American basketball player Brittney Griner and Russian businessman Viktor Bout were released as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.
On Thursday, August 1, the prisoner exchange between Russia and the West began.
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