Germany releases zoo killer Krasikov
In what is likely the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War, Germany is also significantly involved. 13 people from Russia are reportedly being brought to the Federal Republic, with Moscow receiving, among others, the Tiergarten murderer from Berlin in return.
The Turkish presidential office has confirmed a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries, including the US and Germany. The Turkish intelligence agency MIT organized the exchange of a total of 26 prisoners, including the German Rico Krieger, the US journalist Evan Gershkovich, and the former US soldier Paul Whelan, the presidential office in Ankara announced.
According to the announcement, prisoners from the US, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus were involved. A total of 13 people are being brought to Germany, three to the US, and ten to Russia in return. Among the released prisoners is the so-called Tiergarten murderer Vadim Krasikov, as confirmed by the German government. Only in this way was it possible to secure the release of the people from Russian and Belarusian detention, explained government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany at the end of 2021 because the court was convinced that he had shot a Georgian of Chechen origin in the "Kleiner Tiergarten" in Berlin on behalf of the Russian state.
Gershkovich and Whelan free
Previously, US media had reported on the large-scale agreement between Russia and the West on the exchange of prisoners. The "Wall Street Journal" reporter Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in a labor camp on July 19 for "espionage." The trial against the 32-year-old lasted only slightly more than three weeks. The 54-year-old former US soldier Whelan was arrested in Russia in December 2018.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had hinted that Gershkovich could be released as part of a prisoner exchange - and mentioned the desired release of the Russian imprisoned in Germany for the so-called Tiergarten murder.
In recent days, the transfer of several opposition figures imprisoned in Russia, as well as the unclear whereabouts of other prisoners, had fueled speculation about an impending larger prisoner exchange. According to the independent website "Sotavision," the German-Russian Kevin Liek, convicted of treason, was also among the affected prisoners.
The release of the Tiergarten murderer Vadim Krasikov from German prison was part of the prisoner exchange, as confirmed by the German government. With this exchange, 13 prisoners are being brought to Germany, including three from the United States and the US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years for espionage.
