Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva have safely landed in the United States after the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were present on the tarmac to greet them following the landing of their plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, shortly before midnight on Thursday.
Family members of the returnees also welcomed them with tears and embraces.
Upon disembarking, Whelan was the first to step off the plane, saluting before shaking hands with the US leaders. He was followed by Gershkovich, who shared embraces with both Harris and Biden, then moved on to hug his visibly overjoyed parents.
Kurmasheva immediately went to her husband and daughters, wrapping them in a tight embrace after briefly greeting Biden and Harris.
Shortly after, Gershkovich addressed the media on the tarmac, sharing with his Wall Street Journal colleagues the long-awaited words, “I’m home.”
Witnessing the poignant family reunions, Biden then took off his pin and put it to Whelan’s lapel, with Harris watching the gesture.
Biden spoke to reporters, expressing joy over the successful outcome: “It feels wonderful. Long time in coming. I was absolutely convinced we could get it done.”
“I meant it when I said – alliances make a difference. They stepped up and took a chance for us, and it mattered a lot,” Biden told reporters, referring to the extensive diplomatic efforts that facilitated the exchange.
This return concludes a “brutal ordeal,” as described by Biden, for the three Americans and their families, following their detentions in Russia under harsh conditions.
Whelan, aged 54, had been imprisoned in Russia for nearly six years following his arrest in Moscow in December 2018, while Gershkovich, aged 32, was detained for over a year. Both faced espionage charges and were officially declared wrongfully detained by the US State Department.
Kurmasheva, a 47-year-old journalist working for US-backed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was detained in October 2023 and wrongly convicted of disseminating false information about the Russian military, a charge both her family and employer refute.
Their freedom, along with that of Washington Post contributor and permanent US resident Vladimir Kara-Murza, aged 42, came as part of a complex prisoner swap involving Russia, the US, and other Western nations, with a total of 24 detainees exchanged.
The swap also led to the release of sixteen individuals from Russian detention, including five Germans and seven Russians who were considered political prisoners.
In exchange, Russia received former high-ranking FSB colonel Vadim Krasikov, among others accused of spying or cybercrime.
This exchange stands as a significant diplomatic victory and a defining moment in Biden’s presidency, occurring less than six months before his term ends.
Earlier on Thursday, Biden praised the exchange as a “feat of diplomacy,” achieved in collaboration with allies including Germany, Poland, Norway, Turkey, and Slovenia.
“Some of these women and men have been unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering and uncertainty. Today, their agony is over,” Biden stated, having hosted the families of Gershkovich, Whelan, Kurmasheva, and Kara-Murza at the White House.
Whelan, Gershkovich, and Kurmasheva endured a roughly 10-hour flight from Ankara, Turkey, following a three-hour and 45-minute journey from Moscow to Ankara.
On their flight back, they were joined by several medics, a psychologist, and U.S. government officials, including members from the National Security Council and the State Department, according to a U.S. official who spoke to CNN.
Shortly after landing at Joint Base Andrews, less than two hours later, the trio, along with some family members, proceeded to San Antonio.
At Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, they will undergo medical evaluations and receive the necessary care for as long as needed, the U.S. official mentioned.
Such measures are standard for Americans returning after wrongful detention. For instance, WNBA star Brittney Griner was similarly processed at the center immediately following her release from Russian custody in December 2022.
Additionally, the returnees are eligible to join the Defense Department’s Post Isolation Support Activities (PISA) program, designed to assist them in adjusting to life back in the United States.
This program has been a resource for many who were wrongfully detained, helping them transition back to everyday life.