Bloomberg: Gershkovich, Whelan to Leave Russia as Part of Prisoner Exchange with US
Journalist and former US Marine to be exchanged for Russians as part of deal with Washington.
Western media have learned that Russia will release Wall Street Journal employee Evan Gershkovich and former military officer Paul Whelan.
Bloomberg reported this on Thursday, August 1. However, it is not specified where exactly the exchange will take place.
It is only noted that this will happen outside of Russia. The supposed place of the exchange is said to be Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
In exchange for Gershkovich and Whelan, Russia will receive its citizens who were convicted in the West. The names of the Russians have not yet been disclosed.
Lawyers for Gershkovich and Whelan have not yet confirmed the information disseminated by Bloomberg.
The upcoming exchange was first announced in Slovenia. The country's media reported that Russia, the United States, Germany and Belarus would conduct a large-scale deal to exchange prisoners.
Later, the American television channel Fox News reported that Gershkovich could return to the United States as early as August 1.
Gershkovich and Whelan were sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia. They were tried for espionage. The journalist was arrested in 2023, and the former marine in 2018.
