The recent prisoner swap between the West and Russia, facilitated by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), marked one of the most significant exchanges since the Cold War. The operation, which took place in Ankara on August 1, 2024, was the result of months of careful planning, including two prior meetings in Istanbul and Ankara. The swap involved 26 prisoners from multiple countries, including the United States, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus.
The importance of this exchange is underscored by the involvement of outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden, who requested to observe the operation in real time. Türkiye agreed to this request, rescheduling the event to 9 p.m. Turkish time to coincide with 10 a.m. in Washington, D.C. This timing allowed Biden to be in immediate contact with the released prisoners, and he quickly reached out to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after his first call with them.
The choice of Türkiye as the location for the swap was no accident. Both the U.S. and Russia expressed a preference for Türkiye, citing their confidence in MIT’s capabilities. Türkiye has a proven track record in handling similar operations with discretion and efficiency, ensuring that previous swaps were conducted smoothly and without leaks. This trust was further solidified by MIT’s assurance that no public statements regarding the swap would be made until both the U.S. and Russia were ready to confirm the operation.
The location for the swap, Esenboğa Airport in Ankara, was selected for its ability to provide a secure and private setting. On August 1, seven planes from the participating countries arrived at the airport, carrying the prisoners. The swap itself was meticulously organized by MIT, with some prisoners being transferred directly from one plane to another, while others were taken to specially prepared rooms within the airport. MIT personnel were responsible for managing the entire process, including health checks and identity verification. In some cases, prisoners arriving from Russia were still in prison uniforms, and MIT assisted in changing them into civilian clothes provided by the U.S.
The operation was not just logistically complex but also involved individuals of significant importance to their respective countries. One of the most notable figures in the swap was Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in Russia in March 2023 on espionage charges. Gershkovich was accused of gathering secret information about a defense company involved in military equipment production in the Sverdlovsk region. His arrest marked the first time a foreign journalist was charged with espionage in Russia. At the time of the swap, Gershkovich was facing a 19-year prison sentence.
Another significant figure was Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who had been detained in Moscow since 2018, also on espionage charges. Whelan, who held citizenship in the U.S., Britain, and Ireland, was arrested in a Moscow hotel with a hard disk allegedly containing classified information. He claimed that a Russian acquaintance had given it to him. Whelan’s case had garnered widespread attention, particularly after discussions in 2022 about a potential swap involving Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer imprisoned in the U.S. However, Whelan was not included in that swap, leading to public criticism of the Biden administration.
Another American journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, who held both U.S. and Russian citizenship, was also part of the swap. Kurmasheva was detained in May 2023 while trying to leave Russia for Czechia. She was convicted on charges of “failing to report as a foreign worker” and “disinformation.” Her inclusion in the swap highlights the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Russia over press freedom and the treatment of journalists.
The swap also involved Rico Krieger, a Red Cross worker detained in Belarus during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Krieger claimed to be in Belarus as a tourist, but Russian authorities accused him of espionage, alleging that he had ties to Ukrainian security services. Convicted on multiple charges, Krieger was sentenced to death in Belarus in June 2024 for “terrorism and mercenary activities.” However, he was granted clemency by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko shortly before the swap and returned to Germany as part of the exchange.
Among the Russian citizens involved in the swap was Ilya Yashin, a former mayor of Krasnoselsky and a close ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Yashin was convicted in December 2022 for spreading “false information” about the Russian military. His arrest and conviction were part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures in Russia.
Another prominent Russian dissident included in the swap was Vladimir Kara-Murza, a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin. Kara-Murza was arrested in April 2022 and later sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of spreading “false information” about the Russian military, collaborating with an “undesirable organization,” and treason. His imprisonment drew international condemnation, and his inclusion in the swap was seen as a significant victory for his supporters.
On the Russian side, Vadim Krasikov was the most notable figure returned in the swap. Krasikov had been serving a life sentence in Germany for the assassination of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Chechen opposition fighter. Sent to Berlin by Russia’s FSB, Krasikov had received special training for the assassination, which took place in a Berlin park in 2019. Despite initially denying any connection to Krasikov, Russian President Putin later praised him as a “patriot.” There had been previous discussions about swapping Krasikov for Navalny, but these plans were never realized.
Also included in the swap was a Russian couple, Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, who were caught in Slovenia with false Argentine passports. The couple, who were working for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), were posing as an art gallery owner and her husband. The Dultsevs were handed over to Russian officials along with their two children, who only learned of their Russian nationality upon arrival in Türkiye. The family’s return to Russia was personally welcomed by President Putin, who greeted them in Spanish.
This historic swap, facilitated by Türkiye, not only involved a large number of individuals but also highlighted the complex and often tense relationships between the countries involved. Each individual in the swap had a unique story, reflecting broader geopolitical struggles and the ongoing conflicts between East and West. The operation’s success underscores Türkiye’s growing role as a mediator in international affairs, trusted by both sides to manage such sensitive and high-stakes negotiations.
