MOSCOW: Putin promises to present those released in the exchange for awards
Putin: military personnel who returned in the exchange will be presented for state awards
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the exchanged Russians on their return to their homeland.
The plane of the Rossiya flight detachment with Russians released during the prisoner exchange that took place in Turkey arrived from Ankara to Moscow's Vnukovo-2 airport on Thursday.
"First of all, I want to congratulate everyone on their return to their homeland," Putin said, meeting the exchanged Russians at Vnukovo-2 airport.
Earlier, the FSB Public Relations Center reported that eight Russians detained and imprisoned in a number of NATO countries had been returned to their homeland.
Putin promised to present for state awards those of those released in the exchange who "have a direct connection to military service." Among those who returned were former FSB officer Krasikov and the Dultsevs, accused of spying for Russia
The Russians who returned to Russia as a result of the exchange will be presented with state awards, said President Vladimir Putin, who met the plane with them at Vnukovo Airport.
“I would like to address those of you who are directly involved in military service. I would like to thank you for your loyalty to the oath, your duty and the Motherland, which has never forgotten you for a minute. And now you are home. All of you will be presented with state awards. We will see each other again, we will talk about your future,” the president said.
Eight people returned to Russia as part of the exchange, including former FSB officer Vadim Krasikov, sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for the murder of former Chechen field commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, journalist Pavel Rubtsov, accused of spying for Russia (he was extradited by Poland), scientist Mikhail Mikushin (extradited by Norway), and spouses Artem and Anna Dultsev (sentenced to one year and seven months in prison in Slovenia). They introduced themselves as a married couple from Argentina, Ludwig Gish and Maria Mayer. Two of their children returned with the Dultsevs.
The Russian side also received the son of LDPR State Duma deputy Valery Seleznev, Roman (sentenced to 27 years in the US), and Vladislav Klyushin (sentenced to nine years, also in the US), accused of cyber fraud. Vadim Konoshchenko, accused of involvement in a scheme to “provide classified electronics and ammunition of American manufacture” to Russia, also returned.
In turn, Russia handed over 16 people, including WSJ journalist Evan Gershkovich, journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza (recognized as a foreign agent), former Moscow municipal deputy Ilya Yashin (recognized as a foreign agent), co-founder of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights center Memorial Oleg Orlov (the organization and Orlov are included in the register of foreign agents), and others. The Russian side’s list included German Rico Krieger, sentenced to death in Belarus.
Three citizens of the country went to the United States: journalist Evan Gershkovich, former Marine Paul Whelan, journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (she also has Russian citizenship), and Russian Vladimir Kara-Murza, recognized as a foreign agent by the Ministry of Justice (he has a residence permit in the United States). The rest were accepted by Germany.
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