Americans freed in Russia prisoner swap land in US

US President Joe Biden watched on as Evan Gershkovich gave his mother Ella Milman a huge hug after disembarking at Joint Base Andrews 

Three Americans including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who were freed in a prisoner swap deal with Russia, have arrived back on US soil.

Mr Gershkovich, 32, was one of 16 prisoners swapped for eight Russian prisoners in what has been described as the biggest exchange since the end of the Cold War between Russia and the West.

The exchange at an airfield in Turkey also included the release of former US marine Paul Whelan, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

After touching down at Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland, Mr Gershkovich, Ms Kurmasheva and Mr Whelan emerged from the jet to cheers from those on the tarmac.

All three were greeted by US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris - before embracing their families.

Speaking ahead of their return, Mr Biden welcomed their release and declared: 'Their brutal ordeal is over."

He praised the role played by America's allies, particularly Germany and Slovenia, and hailed the release of Mr Whelan, Mr Gershkovich, Ms Kurmasheva as well as leading Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza as a "feat of diplomacy".

The three released Americans will be transported to the Brooke Army Medical Centre in Texas for a medical check-up.

The deal had been more than 18 months in the making and appears to have hinged on Moscow's demand for the return of Vadim Krasikov - who was serving a life sentence in Germany for carrying out an assassination in a Berlin park.

He is now back in Russia.

In total, 26 people from prisons in seven different countries were exchanged in Ankara, Turkey's presidency said.

The prisoners were from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus, it said in a statement.

Ten people, including two minors, were relocated to Russia, 13 prisoners to Germany, and three to the US, the statement added.

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin personally greeted the released Russians with bouquets of flowers at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport.

Embracing them warmly on a red carpet was President Putin, who said they would be given state awards.

Among those returned to Moscow was Krasikov who was an intelligence agent imprisoned in Germany for killing a former Chechen rebel commander as well as a Russian couple, convicted of spying in Slovenia, who returned to Russia with their two children.

Both Nato and the European Union welcomed the release which it said was mediated by Turkey.