- Airplane with released prisoners landed in the United States
After the historic prisoner swap between Russia, Belarus, and several Western countries, a plane carrying released U.S. citizens landed in the United States. The plane from Ankara arrived at the military airport Joint Base Andrews near the U.S. capital Washington late Thursday evening (local time) after more than nine hours in flight, U.S. media reported.
On board were "Wall Street Journal" correspondent Evan Gershkovich, convicted of espionage, former U.S. soldier Paul Whelan, and U.S. journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. U.S. President Joe Biden embraced Gershkovich after he disembarked from the plane. Vice President Kamala Harris was also present at the arrival.
The released individuals, including Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, were fortunate to return home after the prisoner swap involving the European Union and other Western countries. The European Union, as a key negotiator, played a significant role in facilitating the exchange.
