American journalist Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for a year during a reporting assignment, might find his chance for release tied to Vadim Krasikov, a convict in a German prison responsible for a Kremlin-ordered assassination.
Back in 2013, Moscow was shaken by the murder of a restaurant owner, a crime mirrored six years later in Berlin with the killing of exiled Chechen commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili. Both assassinations featured assailants on bikes, with the Berlin killer caught after discarding a weapon and disguise near the Reichstag. Initially identified as “Vadim Sokolov,” German authorities soon revealed the man to be Vadim Krasikov, linked to Russia’s FSB and suspected in the 2013 Moscow case.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin hinted in a conversation with Tucker Carlson that Russia is interested in swapping Krasikov for Gershkovich, whom the Kremlin views as a “patriot.” Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, faces espionage charges in Russia, which are denied by him, his employer, and the U.S. government. His case is not isolated, with former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and US-Russian citizen Alsu Kurmasheva also detained under charges seen as politically motivated.
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The late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was also rumored to be part of a potential swap involving Krasikov before his death. Despite Putin’s statements post-Russian election about releasing Navalny in exchange for Western-held individuals, the White House expressed unawareness of any such deal.
The possibility of a prisoner exchange for the detained Americans, requiring coordination between Germany, the U.S., and Russia, faces criticism. German officials, including Roderich Kiesewetter, view such a deal as engaging in “hostage diplomacy,” reflecting Putin’s eagerness to retrieve Krasikov.
Krasikov’s involvement in state-sanctioned killings and his connection to the FSB’s ‘Vympel’ unit suggest a high-level of Kremlin support. His prosecution and sentencing in Germany for Khangoshvili’s murder, recognized as an act of state terrorism, further strain diplomatic relations, with Germany expelling Russian diplomats in response.
Despite opposition from German government members against releasing Krasikov, the legal and political complexities of arranging such a swap remain a contentious issue. The case of Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer exchanged for US basketball star Brittney Griner, highlights the controversial nature of prisoner swaps.
As debates over “hostage diplomacy” continue, activists like Bill Browder compile lists of Russian detainees who could be exchanged to secure the release of activists and journalists from Russian custody, emphasizing the dire need to save lives despite the imperfect nature of such negotiations.
