WSJ reporter Gershkovich, Russian assassin freed in massive prisoner swap

MOSCOW/ANKARA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were released by Russia on Thursday as part of the biggest East-West prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War, a complex deal negotiated in secrecy for more than a year.

The White House said the U.S. had negotiated the complex trade with Russia and other countries. It said eight prisoners held in the West were being sent back to Russia.

Germany confirmed that they included Vadim Krasikov, convicted of murdering an exiled dissident in Berlin.

President Joe Biden hailed the deal as "a feat of diplomacy and friendship" and praised Washington's allies for their "bold and brave decisions."

"This would not have been possible without our allies," he said, adding: "Today is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in this world."

Turkey, which coordinated the exchange, said 10 people, including two children, had been moved to Russia, 13 to Germany and three to the United States. Also involved in the swap were Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Belarus.

"After the completion of the ratification procedures of the parties, the health checks ... the prisoners were placed on the planes of the countries to which they would be traveling with the approval and instructions of the MIT," the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) said in a statement.

A Reuters reporter saw a Russian government aircraft taking off from Ankara.

The Kremlin said Moscow's decision to pardon and free prisoners had been made in order to bring Russian captives home.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a vociferous backer of Russia's war in Ukraine, which has prompted the arrest of hundreds of critics and driven relations with Washington to their worst level