Russia and USA exchange 26 prisoners at Ankara airport in Turkey

Journalist Evan Gershkovich and former U. S. Marine Paul Whelan are expected to participate in the exchange. It has been reported recently that the Russian side has already released them.

It was also specified that both Gershkovich and Whelan will soon be in U. S. custody.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported citing its sources that Gershkovich and Whelan had been released from prison in Russia as part of the exchange.

On July 31, Slovenia announced the deportation of two Russian citizens accused of espionage. Slovenian journalists assumed that there was a larger prisoner exchange in the works.

According to The Insider, the full list of those released by the Russian side includes:

• Ilya Yashin
• Vladimir Kara-Murza
• Alsu Kurmasheva
• Andrei Pivovarov
• Oleg Orlov
• Alexandra Skochilenko
•  Liliya Chanysheva
• Ksenia Fadeeva
• Evan Gershkovich
• Rico Krieger
• Kevin Leake
• Demuri Voronin
• Vadim Ostanin
• Patrick Schoebel
• Paul Whelan
• Herman Moyzhes

As a result of the exchange, Russia, according to The Insider, will receive:

• Vadim Krasikov (from Germany)
• Artem Dultsev (from Slovenia)
• Anna Dultseva (from Slovenia)
• Mikhail Mikushin (from Norway)
• Pavel Rubtsov (from Poland)
• Roman Seleznev (from the USA)
• Vladislav Klyushina (from the USA)
• Vadim Konoshchenko (from the USA)

Turkish Intelligence Directorate coordinates exchange between Russia and the USA, IHA said.

The last stage of the prisoner exchange will take place today, August 1, at 19:00 at one of the airports in Turkey, Mash Telegram channel said.

Some of the released prisoners will give a press conference in Berlin at 19:00 local time.

Russia and the United States have exchanged 26 prisoners at Ankara airport, Turkish TV channel NTV said.