A large-scale exchange of prisoners took place between Russia and Western countries: among them the murderer Vadim Krasikov

Twenty-six people from prisons in seven different countries, including the United States and Russia, were exchanged Thursday in Ankara in a major prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington, the Turkish president's office said.

Turkish media showed what is believed to be footage of the exchange and reported that 26 people participated in it. There are currently no official lists.

The Turkish television channel NTV writes about "the largest exchange since the Second World War."

According to The Insider, the Russian Federation handed over 16 people to Western countries.

These are politicians Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin, ex-Chiefs of Staff of Navalny Liliya Chanysheva, Ksenia Fadeeva and Vadym Ostanin, journalists Evan Hershkovich and Alsu Kurmashova, artist Sasha Skochylenko, journalist Andriy Pivovarov, 19-year-old citizen of Germany Kevin Leek, former US serviceman Paul Vilan, human rights activist Oleg Orlov, Dieter Voronin, Patrick Shebel, as well as St. Petersburg bicycle activist Herman Moizhes.

In addition, Minsk released the German citizen Rico Krieger, who was previously pardoned in Belarus.

Germany handed over Vadym Krasikov, the murderer of former Chechen field commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, to Russia.

In Germany, Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In addition, Pavel Rubtsov, who was imprisoned in Poland, Mikhail Mikushin, who posed as a Brazilian and was detained for espionage in Norway, and the spouses Artem and Anna Dultseva, who confessed to working for the Russian special services and were convicted in Slovenia, were extradited to Russia. .

In addition, the Russians extradited three men who were serving time in the USA – Roman Seleznyov, Vladyslav Klyushin and Vadym Konoshchenko.

The Turkish TV channel NTV reported that two children appear in the agreement between the Russian Federation and Western countries. The publication "Sirena" assumes that these are the children of the Dultsevs, 8 and 11 years old. According to the WSJ, they were transferred to a foster family while their parents were arrested.

Bloomberg reported earlier that Hershkovich and Whelan were fired. Hershkovich's release was later confirmed by The Wall Street Journal, where he worked. Der Spiegel wrote that Krasikov was on a plane that left Germany. In addition, German Kevin Leek's support group confirmed his release.

UPDATED: Former US Ambassador to Moscow Sullivan, John Sullivan, told CBS that the Americans were taken from their detention facilities to some central location controlled by the FSB and were to be flown to where the exchange would take place.

It takes place in Turkey. The local news agency IHA reported that the Turkish intelligence agency is handling the operation. For several hours, the Russian mass media have been following the Tu-204 aircraft of the "Russia" air force, which took off from "Vnukovo" in Moscow in the afternoon, the BBC noted. According to the Flightradar24 service, it landed in Ankara at around 16:25 Kyiv time. At the same time, the Reuters agency launched a broadcast from Ankara airport, showing a plane with a Russian flag on its tail.

"This is the most difficult exchange in American-Russian and even Soviet history," the CBS news anchor reported, citing American officials. Including because this is not a traditional exchange of spies, which was repeatedly practiced even in the times of the USSR.

According to her, numerous American agencies are involved in negotiations with Russia, including the White House, the State Department, and the CIA.

The US authorities do not officially comment on the process until it is completed. If all goes well, President Joe Biden is expected to make an announcement.

Complex and secret negotiations were held for more than one month, US representatives visited different countries to offer exchange of people in whom Moscow would be interested, CNN reports with reference to a high-ranking employee of the administration of the US president.

Background. It will be recalled that the American journalist Hershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia on charges of espionage.

In June, it was reported that the United States offered to exchange a WSJ journalist for a Russian spy couple arrested in Slovenia.