Plane carrying Gershkovich, other freed prisoners, touches down in MarylandThe plane carrying prisoners freed from Russia in return for the release of Russian detainees, in the largest such exchange in decades, has touched down at Joint Airbase Andrews.
Sixteen people were freed from Russian custody, including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Several other foreign citizens held in Russia and numerous political prisoners were also freed.
The exchange took place at Ankara airport on Thursday in a complicated operation in which planes arrived from and departed to multiple countries.
Among those freed by Russia are Gershkovich, the former US marine Paul Whelan and the journalist and joint US-Russian citizen Alsu Kurmasheva. Shortly after their release the US government put out the first picture of the three holding the stars and stripes.