Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is also in the exchange . She was captured by the Russians when she went there to visit her sick grandmother . The Russians said she was spreading false stories in her reporting about their war in Ukraine .

There are other countries involved too . Germany is one . All I have seen so far in reports is that the Russians being released are "spies " . Evidently Turkey is brokering the swap.

Do you think this has a "Biden/Harris foreign policy victory!!" tint to it?

They will use the propaganda for all it's worth. So far all I see is a Ruskie assassin who was being held in Germany

confirmed the emperor is giving Joe and Kam the Sham credit

Barack Obama on X: "Thanks to the skill and persistence of @POTUS, @VP, and our allies, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza are being released from Russian custody. It’s a tremendous diplomatic achievement, and we’re grateful that they’ll be back home with their" / X

Russian collusion???

Nah it is a coincidence that this swap happened the day after the plea deal with KSM was announced </sarc>

Very well said...sarcastically.

great moments when Joe and Kam greeted the returned hostages . It was a 2-fer .

1 . Kam was given the opportunity to speak off script and the word salad cometh .

"This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances."

2. Clueless Joe had the hostages debark the plane individually so he could greet and sniff where applicable individually . Then after the little ceremony was done he mysteriously wandered to the hostage plane and boarded it leaving Kam the tarmac . After a while I guess he realized he had entered the wrong plane and exited .

Ian Haworth on X: "Joe Biden tried to board the wrong plane. He's still president, btw. https://t.co/TFMSbEsKKp" / X

Marc Fogel is still detained . Again ;he suffers from chronic back pain and is a physical mess . He's had 3 back surgeries ;knee surgeries; a rotator cuff surgery; and a hip replacement all in an attempt to ease his pain. When he travelled to Russia he had on his possession 17 grams of medical marijuana, He had every intention of informing the authorities he had it. He did not get the chance .He went there to finish his teaching career at the Anglo-American school in Moscow. Before he had a chance to talk to authorities ;someone at the school informed them that he was carrying pot .

He was tried .His lawyer advised him to plea guilty hoping for leniency . Instead he was sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony in Yaroslavl, Russia ( on the Volga River northeast of Moscow. ) His lawyer calls it a death sentence.

The US government does not publish a list of Americans being held as prisoners/pawns . But there are many including 200 in China.

Pastor’s release raises hopes for other Americans held in China

Clueless Joe is more concerned with taking domestic political prisoners than getting innocent Americans held hostage abroad.

Marc Fogel was released today

Donald Trump Secures Release of American Marc Fogel From Russian Prison - Newsweek