Russia frees Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan in major prisoner swap with U.S.

• As part of the exchange, Russia also released Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist accused — but not convicted — of failing to register as a foreign agent.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva left a Russian aircraft around 11 am ET at an airport in Turkey's capital, Ankara.

Driving the news: Gershkovich, the first American journalist to stand trial in Russia since the Cold War, was sentenced on July 19 to 16 years in prison after being accused of spying while on a reporting assignment in Yekaterinburg.

• The WSJ and the U.S. government have denounced the espionage charges.
• Whelan, who had been detained since December 2018, was also serving a 16-year prison sentence on espionage claims that he, his family and the U.S. have said were false.
• Gershkovich spent 16 months in prison before his release. Whelan spent more than five years behind bars.
• WSJ Assistant Editor Paul Beckett shared a photo of Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva holding an American flag, though it is unclear where and when the photo was taken.

What they're saying: Biden described the exchange as a "feat of diplomacy" in a statement.

• "I am grateful to our Allies who stood with us throughout tough, complex negotiations to achieve this outcome — including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey," the president said.
• "This is a powerful example of why it's vital to have friends in this world whom you can trust and depend upon. Our alliances make Americans safer."

Biden said in an address his administration has so far freed over 70 wrongfully detained Americans. He stressed that it would continue to work for the release of all other wrongfully detained Americans.

• "There's nothing that matters more to me than protecting Americans at home and abroad," he said.

By the numbers: Turkish security sources told Axios on Thursday that Turkey coordinated the exchange, which involved 26 people, 24 of whom were incarcerated in seven countries: the U.S., Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus.

• The prisoners, and two children, were flown to Ankara from their various origin countries. Three people were then transferred to the U.S. Ten people — including the two children — were sent to Russia and 13 were transferred to Germany, according to Turkish sources.
• Biden said the 16 prisoners released by Russia also included five Germans and seven Russian citizens. Among the Russians, four worked for former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in prison under mysterious circumstances earlier this year.

Zoom in: In addition to Gershkovich and Whelan, individuals exchanged include:

• Russian opposition activist and Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post contributor Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was arrested for spreading "false" information about the Russian military after denouncing Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kara-Murza is a permanent U.S. resident.
• Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician who was arrested and sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for criticizing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
• Rico Krieger, a German man who had been sentenced to death in Belarus on terrorism and other charges.

• Vadim Krasikov, an FSB officer found guilty of killing a former Chechen rebel in a Berlin park.

Zoom out: U.S. officials said in a call with reporters that during negotiations it was clear Russia would not release Gershkovich or Whelan without the release of Krasikov, who was in German custody.

• Since the U.S. could not offer Krasikov, Germany was invited to participate in negotiations.
• Norway, Slovenia and Poland were also invited, as they too were in custody of other Russians included in the exchange, officials said.

Marc Fogel, an American schoolteacher who was sentenced in 20201 to 14 years in prison for allegedly entering Russia with medical marijuana, was not included in Thursday's exchange, U.S. officials said.

• Members of Fogel's family said in a statement that it was "inconceivable" to them that "Russian dissidents would be prioritized over U.S. citizens in a prisoner exchange."
• "Marc has been unjustly detained for far too long and must be prioritized in any swap negotiations with Russia, regardless of his level of notoriety or celebrity," they said, adding that Fogel has been suffering from "severe" health issues.

The big picture: Since the start of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the State Department has repeatedly urged Americans to leave Russia, warning the Russian government may target them for detention.

• Thursday's exchange came roughly two years after Russia released former Marine Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian citizen serving a 20-year sentence for attempting to smuggle more than $100 million worth of cocaine into the U.S.
• Russia also released WNBA star Brittney Griner in December 2022 in exchange for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Go deeper: ICC issues arrest warrants for alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Editor's note: The story is updated with a statement from President Biden and additional information from U.S officials on details about the swap, as well as a statement from Marc Fogel's family.