11:55 Security expert Umbach: exchanges strengthen Putin's image of the weak West
The Prisoner Exchange Strengthens Putin's Course Against the West, Says Security Expert Frank Umbach. Russia Has the Upper Hand in the Deal and Makes the West Look Weak. For Russia's President, the Matter is a Win in Multiple Ways, as the Expert Explains.
11:22 Gershkovich Proposes Interview with PutinThe freed U.S. journalist Gershkovich reportedly asked Russian President Putin for an interview just before the prisoner exchange. He had to fill out an official pardon application to Putin while in prison, according to the "Wall Street Journal," for which Gershkovich works. The form also had a blank field for personal remarks. Instead of leaving it blank, Gershkovich filled it out in "formal High Russian, which he had acquired in 16 months of detention." In the last line, he made a proposal to Putin: Would he be willing to sit down for an interview after his release? No response from the Russian president is known.
11:00 Number of Russian Contract Soldiers May be ExaggeratedRussia is trying to recruit volunteers for the war against Ukraine with cash bonuses. However, the number of new recruits may be significantly lower than claimed by the Russian Ministry of Defense, writes the independent Russian-language online medium "Important Stories" based in Riga. According to a joint analysis by "Important Stories" and the "Conflict Intelligence Team," which specializes in open-source information, around 426,000 Russians received a lump sum payment for signing a contract between fall 2022 and April 2024. This is indicated by data from the federal budget. The ministry, however, has spoken of 640,000 contract soldiers by the same time.
10:30 Baerbock Sees Dilemma in Exchange of Tiergarten MurdererForeign Minister Annalena Baerbock is relieved about the release of those imprisoned in Russia and Belarus. However, she admits in the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation that the exchange is a "highly sensitive dilemma," as Germany also had to release a "hired killer" from Russia. The decision on the exchange "was not easy for anyone in the federal government." It "rightly also leads to a lot of discussion," the minister says.
10:04 Jaeger: "We're Back in a Time When Russia Holds Hostages"In the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War, Moscow frees a convicted murderer. Critics see the deal as an incentive for the Kremlin to make further arbitrary arrests. The West must accept this, says political scientist Thomas Jaeger.
09:36 Deal Leaves Roettgen with Mixed Feelings: Huge Sacrifice for the Rule of LawCDU foreign policy expert Norbert Roettgen views the deal between Russia and the West with mixed feelings. "In the end, I support the decision." In the Deutschlandfunk, Roettgen says: "This is already a huge sacrifice that the German state, the rule of law, accepts here for a higher good, which is humanity, freedom, health, liberation from torture for 16 people, so it's a give and take." He understands anyone who had great difficulty with this. He is referring to the exchange of the Tiergarten murderer Vadim Krasikov.
09:00 Munz assesses prisoner exchange: "Everyone has seen: Germany is blackmailable" ntv's Russia correspondent Rainer Munz sees a disastrous signal for Germans living abroad in the prisoner exchange between Moscow and Berlin. The Kremlin is also increasing pressure on domestic and foreign opposition figures.
08:33 Biden praises "remarkable" Scholz According to US President Biden, the prisoner exchange was a "hard nut to crack" for the US's allies. Especially Germany and Slovenia had to make decisions that were "against their immediate interests," says Biden. Particularly Chancellor Scholz was "remarkable." A plane carrying released US citizens landed in the US overnight (local time). Another 13 people, including several Germans, landed in Cologne. In exchange for the release of political prisoners and Kremlin critics, Germany, the US, and partner countries released a convicted murderer and prisoners suspected of espionage from Russia. Read more about this here.
08:04 US analyst believes Putin got what he wanted Analyst Tom Nichols believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin got what he wanted in the prisoner exchange. The US political scientist said on CNN that the Kremlin sent a clear warning to people in the West that those who set foot in Russia could become the next bargaining chip in another deal. Putin's government is "using people and treating them like meat on a scale until they get the kind of deal they want," believes Russia expert Nichols. He also believes Putin wanted to send a message to his supporters that he would rescue them if they were caught and that they are valuable to him.
07:26 Stationing of missiles can proceed without Bundestag decision There is criticism, especially from the SPD, that the planned deployment of long-range US weapons in Germany was decided and announced without the Bundestag. However, this is not required. This is the conclusion of the Scientific Service of the Bundestag. The planned deployment is likely to take place "within the framework of the NATO alliance," it says in a current briefing. The legal basis is likely to be, among other things, the NATO treaty and the Status of Forces Agreement, which regulates the legal status of foreign military forces in Germany. In July, the US and German governments announced that the US would station weapons systems in Germany from 2026 that reach far into Russia. Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed fears that this could lead to escalation with Russia. However, former SPD chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans said that such a decision should be discussed within the SPD and the Bundestag. Union faction vice Johann Wadephul also called for a debate on this in the Bundestag.
06:36 Biden visibly moved: "It's a wonderful feeling" US President Biden appears visibly moved upon the arrival of released prisoners from Russia in their home country. "It's a wonderful feeling," he says after welcoming his fellow citizens on US soil. "I was absolutely convinced that we could do this." His Vice President Kamala Harris explains, "it's an incredible day" – one can see that in the tears of joy from family members. The prisoner exchange is an "extraordinary demonstration of how important it is to have a president who understands the power of diplomacy."
06:00 Harris Praises Courage of Freed American DetaineesUS Vice President Kamala Harris praised the courage of the Americans released from Russian detention as part of a prisoner exchange. Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, and US green card holder Vladimir Kara-Murza had shown "incredible courage" after being unjustly imprisoned in Russia.
05:55 Biden, Harris Welcome Freed Americans and Their FamiliesThree Americans freed as part of a prisoner exchange were greeted by their families, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris upon their arrival at a US air force base. Journalist Evan Gershkovich, his colleague Alsu Kurmasheva, and former US soldier Paul Whelan had spent years in Russian captivity. Read more here.
05:50 Three Freed Americans Arrive in the USThree Americans freed in a prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries appear to have arrived in the US. The plane suspected of carrying journalist Evan Gershkovich, his colleague Alsu Kurmasheva, and former US soldier Paul Whelan landed at a US air force base early Friday morning (local time). The flight from Ankara reached Joint Base Andrews near Washington late Thursday night (local time) after more than nine hours in the air, US media reported.
04:41 US Advisor: Prisoner Deal Has No Impact on Ukraine WarThe large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and several Western countries has no impact on the situation in Ukraine, according to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. He sees no connection between negotiations over detainees and possible diplomatic efforts to end the war in the country attacked by Russia. "In our view, these are running on separate tracks," Sullivan said in Washington when asked if successful negotiations could also promote talks with the Ukrainians about the war situation.
03:05 Russian-Appointed Governor: Drone Fragments Hit CrimeaThe Russian-appointed governor of the occupied Crimea, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reports that fragments of at least four drones hit areas of the port of Sevastopol early Friday morning. The drones were previously shot down by Russian air defense. Razvozhayev writes on the Telegram platform that there were no injuries. "The shot-down targets were equipped with destructive metal elements, according to our information," the governor said.
01:45 YouTube Only Partially Working in RussiaComplaints are mounting in Russia that the video platform YouTube is only working partially. Several media outlets reported outages and referred to the service "Sboj.RF," which records reports of disruptions on websites. According to this, complaints were mainly reported in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also from other parts of the country. Russia had already blocked large social networks like X and Facebook, which can only be used via protected connections (VPN).
00:32 Scholz: Exchanged prisoners have arrived safelyChancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed a majority of the German and Russian citizens released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West at Cologne-Bonn Airport. "All have arrived safely," said the SPD politician shortly after midnight at the airport. He had extensive conversations with the arrivals. "That was very moving," said Scholz. "Many did not expect this to happen now." Many had feared for their health and even their lives. Two planes from Ankara landed late in the evening in Cologne-Bonn. On board were approximately a dozen of the 16 people released in Russia and Belarus.
23:59 Kremlin spokesman: Putin daily involved in Ukraine warKremlin leader Vladimir Putin spends many hours daily in contact with his military on the progress of the war in Ukraine. "This is work that is not seen on camera every day, work that is not read about in newspapers," said his spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a radio interview cited by the state agency Tass. Putin deals with the progress of the special operation, as the attack on Ukraine is called in Kremlin parlance, every day of the week. He also frequently telephones front commanders and ordinary soldiers at the front. This is "a constant practice."
23:38 Released German prisoners land in CologneAfter the prisoner exchange between Russia, Belarus, and Western countries, two planes with released prisoners landed at Cologne/Bonn Airport, according to dpa information. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had announced that he would meet the former prisoners late in the evening. The SPD politician had also landed at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Among the released are five Germans.
22:44 Federal Minister of Justice on prisoner deal: "In doubt, for freedom"Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann described the release of convicted Russian murderer Vadim Krasikov from German custody as a bitter concession in the context of the prisoner exchange. This was done to enable 16 people to have a new life in freedom, explained the FDP politician. "They faced a similar fate to that of Alexei Navalny, who died in inhumane arbitrariness." With that, Buschmann referred to the Russian opposition politician who died in Russian custody in mid-February. As Minister of Justice, the principle of "in doubt, for freedom" was decisive for him. For more on this, read here.
22:13 Putin personally receives released RussiansVladimir Putin personally received Russians released from the West at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. The Kremlin leader Putin embraced at least one of the men on the tarmac where the presidential guard was standing, as shown in television footage released by the Kremlin. Also present were Russian intelligence chiefs Alexander Bortnikov of the FSB and Sergei Naryshkin, as well as Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. "You are home, you are in the motherland," Putin welcomed the released prisoners and announced that they would be nominated for state awards. Tears of joy were visible on the faces of the released prisoners. Among those released was the so-called Tiergarten murderer Vadim K., who was released early from German custody as part of the deal.
21:59 Kamala Harris Calls Nawalny's WidowFollowing the historic prisoner exchange between the West and Russia, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called the widow of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Harris spoke with Julia Navalnaya about the prisoner exchange and expressed her support, according to Navalnaya's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmish, on X. Harris highlighted the efforts of Navalnaya and her husband, who died in a Russian penal colony in February, for a "democratic Russia," Yarmish explained. Navalnaya described the release of Russian opposition figures on X as a "great joy." Each release of a political prisoner is "a huge victory and a reason to celebrate," she said. No one should be "Putin's hostage" and suffer torture and death in "Putin's prisons."
21:40 Report: Ukraine Already Deploying F-16sThe Ukrainian air force is reported to have already conducted its first combat missions with F-16 fighter jets, according to the "Telegraph." However, it is believed these were only for air defense purposes. A representative of the air force did not deny this. Ukraine has remained silent about the arrival of F-16 fighter jets, a common practice to avoid aiding the enemy.
Catch up on all previous developmentshere**.
The prisoner exchange between Russia and the West could be seen as a strategic win for the Military, strengthening Russia's negotiating position in future conflicts.
The Military might view the exchange as a successful example of how to use prisoners as bargaining chips in geopolitical negotiations, potentially influencing their tactics in future conflicts.
