“Today ... was a very good day.”
August 1, 2024 8:49 PM Subscribe
Journalist Evan Gershkovich has come home. Gershkovich and two other Americans who had been wrongfully imprisoned in Russia came home today - along with citizens of Germany, Britain, and Belarus. Seven Russians - political prisoners, some of them associates of Alexei Navalny - were also released. This is the largest prisoner swap since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Heather Cox Richardson lays out the significance of this historic accomplishment:
Gershkovich is a reporter with the Wall Street Journal.
Evan Gershkovich: Updates on the Freed WSJ Reporter, Wall Street Journal
First Photo of Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan Upon Release, Wall Street Journal (photo by the U.S. Government)
Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan are back home after historic prisoner swap, USA Today, Joey Garrison and Rebecca Morin
Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan greeted by President Biden, VP Harris after landing on US soil, ABC News, Shannon K. Kingston, Mary Bruce, Molly Nagle, and Karen Travers
How stage was set for biggest prisoner swap since Cold War, BBC, Steve Rosenberg
Heather Cox Richardson lays out the significance of this historic accomplishment:
It is extraordinary that the U.S. government managed to force Putin to release his own citizens, and Biden called it out. “It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world,” he said. “It also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well. That’s who we are in the United States.Richardson recounts Biden's continuing conversations with German chancellor Olaf Scholz, even after Navalny's death, and notes:
“We stand for freedom, for liberty, for justice—not only for our own people but for others as well. And that’s why all Americans can take pride in what we’ve achieved today.”
...
Foreign affairs journalist Anne Applebaum noted that “a group of brave journalists and democracy activists are being exchanged for a group of brutal spies.” The exchange included no money or sanctions relief.
... [Biden] noted that with today’s releases, his administration “has brought home over 70 Americans who were wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad, many since before I took office.” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later noted that the administration has reclaimed U.S. citizens from “Afghanistan, Burma, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, Rwanda, and elsewhere.”
...
In his remarks today, Biden emphasized that the deal was “a feat of diplomacy and friendship—friendship. Multiple countries helped get this done. They joined difficult, complex negotiations at my request. And I personally thank them all again. And I’ve thanked them personally, and I’ll thank them again.”
This deal was in the works during the weeks when the press was hounding the president and suggesting he was not fit to do the work of the office. In fact, a senior administration official briefing reporters this morning pointed out that on July 20, an hour before he announced to the nation that he would not accept the Democratic nomination for president, Biden “was on the phone with his Slovenian counterpart, urging them to make the final arrangements and to get this deal over the finish line.”Finally, she contrasts Biden's success with Trump's failure:
But the deal does suggest that Putin might be finding it in his own interest to look like he might be willing to negotiate on different issues going forward, a reflection of the damage the Ukraine war has inflicted on his own society. ... Putin might also be seeing that Trump’s path to the White House has gotten dramatically steeper in the past couple of weeks.(I've quoted extensively but left out a lot of great stuff. I highly recommend reading the whole thing.)
Indeed, Putin’s decision to go ahead with the swap was a blow to Trump. ... Trump got wind that a deal was coming together and began to insist at his rallies and in interviews that Putin would free Gershkovich only for him.
Putin has proven Trump wrong.
Gershkovich is a reporter with the Wall Street Journal.
Evan Gershkovich: Updates on the Freed WSJ Reporter, Wall Street Journal
First Photo of Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan Upon Release, Wall Street Journal (photo by the U.S. Government)
Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan are back home after historic prisoner swap, USA Today, Joey Garrison and Rebecca Morin
Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan greeted by President Biden, VP Harris after landing on US soil, ABC News, Shannon K. Kingston, Mary Bruce, Molly Nagle, and Karen Travers
How stage was set for biggest prisoner swap since Cold War, BBC, Steve Rosenberg
Dark Brandon still has some tricks left up his sleeve.
posted by 2N2222 at 9:09 PM on August 1 [26 favorites]
posted by 2N2222 at 9:09 PM on August 1 [26 favorites]
I highly recommend reading the whole thing.
If skipping the rest, one should at least read the last two paragraphs.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 10:22 PM on August 1 [4 favorites]
If skipping the rest, one should at least read the last two paragraphs.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 10:22 PM on August 1 [4 favorites]
^And from the Department of Poor Timing, MAGA representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina tweeted this morning: “Biden is MIA. Why is no one talking about it?”
At today’s White House announcement, a reporter noted that former president Trump “has said repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange,” and asked President Biden: “What do you say to that?”
“Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” Biden answered.
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:59 PM on August 1 [35 favorites]
At today’s White House announcement, a reporter noted that former president Trump “has said repeatedly that he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange,” and asked President Biden: “What do you say to that?”
“Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” Biden answered.
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:59 PM on August 1 [35 favorites]
Is it just me that feels like arresting people on made up bullshit charges so that you can swap them for actual murderers and assassins is not a fantastic thing, and being part of that process isn't exactly worth celebrating without caveats at least?
posted by Dysk at 11:54 PM on August 1 [13 favorites]
posted by Dysk at 11:54 PM on August 1 [13 favorites]
The US didn't "force" Putin to do anything -- they paid a substantial price to get the people released (including the freeing of a Russian agent who killed a man in a public park in Berlin). This is absolutely a good thing, but celebrating it as some sort of victory over Putin is going way too far.
Is it just me that feels like arresting people on made up bullshit charges so that you can swap them for actual murderers and assassins is not a fantastic thing
I mean sure, but unless you're planning on leaving the prisoners to rot in jail, I’m not sure there's a good option.
posted by Galvanic at 12:25 AM on August 2 [12 favorites]
Is it just me that feels like arresting people on made up bullshit charges so that you can swap them for actual murderers and assassins is not a fantastic thing
I mean sure, but unless you're planning on leaving the prisoners to rot in jail, I’m not sure there's a good option.
posted by Galvanic at 12:25 AM on August 2 [12 favorites]
@Dysk Sadly, while it's great that they were released, Putin now knows that hostage diplomacy works and this will sadly intensify his hostage taking.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:39 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:39 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
this will sadly intensify his hostage taking
Putin has been happy enough to poison and defenestrate political opponents and to kidnap at least twenty thousand Ukrainian children before this, so I doubt history will mark this prisoner swap as the moment he ramped up the evil.
Yes, it sucks that a Russian assassin was released, but short of some sort of Face/Off scenario, that particular assassin won't be back, at least.
posted by rory at 12:56 AM on August 2 [30 favorites]
Putin has been happy enough to poison and defenestrate political opponents and to kidnap at least twenty thousand Ukrainian children before this, so I doubt history will mark this prisoner swap as the moment he ramped up the evil.
Yes, it sucks that a Russian assassin was released, but short of some sort of Face/Off scenario, that particular assassin won't be back, at least.
posted by rory at 12:56 AM on August 2 [30 favorites]
I mean sure, but unless you're planning on leaving the prisoners to rot in jail, I’m not sure there's a good option.
I agree, but I do think that it's important to acknowledge that what had occurred is not an unalloyed good option either. It might be the least bad, but that's not the same thing.
posted by Dysk at 1:18 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
I agree, but I do think that it's important to acknowledge that what had occurred is not an unalloyed good option either. It might be the least bad, but that's not the same thing.
posted by Dysk at 1:18 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
Russian mercenaries just suffered big losses in Mali
“This is really important. It’s never happened before on African soil and it will change the dynamics” [AP; radio free europe]
posted by HearHere at 2:00 AM on August 2 [6 favorites]
“This is really important. It’s never happened before on African soil and it will change the dynamics” [AP; radio free europe]
posted by HearHere at 2:00 AM on August 2 [6 favorites]
Zeit Online reporting (ungated) that the release of Alexei Navalny was also in the works for a very long time, but Annalena Baerbock was informally blocking it (for unbelivably stupid reasons):
And there was something else that worried Baerbock: As part of the prisoner exchange, the Chancellery also wanted to bring Alexei Navalny to Germany, Russia's most famous opposition politician, who repeatedly embarrassed the Kremlin with his spectacular corruption revelations and was able to appeal to young Russians over the Internet like no other. In August 2020, Navalny was poisoned with the chemical weapon Novichok, which Russian secret services like to use to get rid of their opponents. Alexei Navalny only survived the attack because he was flown out of Russia and treated at the Charité hospital in Berlin. In January 2021, he finally returned to Russia. And was arrested at the airport in Moscow. Navalny's freedom, the Chancellery calculated, could outweigh the release of a murderer.posted by kmt at 2:19 AM on August 2 [6 favorites]
Baerbock, however, feared a déjà vu scenario: that Navalny could travel to Russia again after an exchange. If Navalny were to return again, the federal government would be duped, the minister argued. The Chancellery, on the other hand, saw the opportunity to strengthen the Russian opposition and send a signal of hope. Navalny's wife Yulia spoke quietly to both the Chancellery and the Foreign Ministry and assured them that her husband would not fly to Russia again after his release. Baerbock was still not convinced.
In Berlin, a tough struggle developed between the Foreign Ministry and the Chancellery. In that gray area of secret diplomacy that is not negotiated in any cabinet meeting or bureaucratic procedure, but in one-on-one talks and with non-papers, Baerbock made the deal more difficult with a kind of unofficial veto. (google translate)
Russian mercenaries just suffered big losses in Mali
Unfortunately, it won't hurt as much as if regular troops had been taken down.
posted by nicolin at 4:07 AM on August 2
Unfortunately, it won't hurt as much as if regular troops had been taken down.
posted by nicolin at 4:07 AM on August 2
the release of Alexei Navalny was also in the works for a very long time, but Annalena Baerbock was informally blocking it (for unbelivably stupid reasons)
Wow, kmt, that's really fucked up. Thanks for adding it here.
posted by mediareport at 4:14 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Wow, kmt, that's really fucked up. Thanks for adding it here.
posted by mediareport at 4:14 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Putin's illegal imprisonment of Evan Gershkovich never made sense to me. It ended up fueling a relentless (and important) drumbeat of coverage of the story by the Wall Street Journal, which put anti-Russia news articles in front of a lot of conservatives who probably wouldn't otherwise see anything but Republican pro-Russia sentiment. And now the Biden/Harris government has achieved a major diplomatic victory, which I hope the WSJ editorial board will not soon forget. And indeed maybe they've already been thinking about it a little.
posted by jedicus at 4:32 AM on August 2 [10 favorites]
posted by jedicus at 4:32 AM on August 2 [10 favorites]
It’s pretty good that the prisoner swap also included releasing a number of Russian political prisoners who didn’t have citizenship or immigration status anywhere else (from what I’ve read so far), but were simply Russian dissidents. That changes the political impact a bit.
Anyway, prisoner swaps are another example of harm reduction in action.
posted by eviemath at 4:54 AM on August 2 [7 favorites]
Anyway, prisoner swaps are another example of harm reduction in action.
posted by eviemath at 4:54 AM on August 2 [7 favorites]
(And I’ll l keep my admittedly entirely unsubstantiated personal suspicions about Whelan’s activities private while the families of all of the released prisoners get a moment to celebrate and likely also start suddenly processing a bunch of bottled up fear and worry.)
posted by eviemath at 5:01 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by eviemath at 5:01 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
HA HA!
I really hope they rub his face in this one.
posted by lalochezia at 5:04 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
I really hope they rub his face in this one.
posted by lalochezia at 5:04 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Objectively a good thing, but I'd like to nominate Richardson for writing what may be the most weasel-y, non-commitment of a sentence I have ever seen:
"But the deal does suggest that Putin might be finding it in his own interest to look like he might be willing to negotiate on different issues going forward... "
2 "mights," 1 "suggest," 1 "look like" and a vague "going forward"
posted by Paladin1138 at 6:18 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
"But the deal does suggest that Putin might be finding it in his own interest to look like he might be willing to negotiate on different issues going forward... "
2 "mights," 1 "suggest," 1 "look like" and a vague "going forward"
posted by Paladin1138 at 6:18 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
The big surprise is that Putin cut this deal with Biden so close to the election. It's a major political win for the Dems, and given how much Putin is betting his legacy in Ukraine on waiting for 45 to win the election, it's really shocking Putin wouldn't choose to wait 6 months.
It really does suggest something is changing.
posted by constraint at 7:01 AM on August 2 [10 favorites]
It really does suggest something is changing.
posted by constraint at 7:01 AM on August 2 [10 favorites]
During his imprisonment, his colleagues praised Evan Gershkovich as a great reporter. More evidence: As a condition of release, he was forced to write a letter to Putin asking for presidential clemency. He did so, but "The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview?" What a badass.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 7:20 AM on August 2 [12 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 7:20 AM on August 2 [12 favorites]
Gift link to WSJ article on the Russian hit man who was part of the exchange (kudos to them for not shying away from these details of a convicted assassin who was part of the deal for their reporter):
The Dark Figure at the Center of Putin’s Prisoner-Swap Demands
In a February interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Putin clearly signaled his interest in a swap deal involving Krasikov, whom he didn’t name but described as a Russian patriot imprisoned for a killing in a Western capital. “That person, due to patriotic sentiments, eliminated a bandit,” Putin said. “Whether he did that of his own initiative or not, that is a different question.”
In August 2019, Krasikov gunned down rebel leader Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in broad daylight in a park in the heart of the German capital, a stone’s throw from the chancellor’s office and parliament. Russia says Khangoshvili was an Islamist extremist who targeted Russian security forces. A Berlin court in 2021 found Krasikov, now 58, guilty of murder and concluded that he had committed an act of “state terrorism” on behalf of Russia, choosing to carry out a gruesome and public execution to intimidate the Kremlin’s opponents...
Western and Ukrainian officials say Krasikov is believed to have been part of a Russian sniper team that targeted demonstrators [in the 2014 Maidan protests in Ukraine]. More than 100 were killed.
posted by mediareport at 7:58 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
The Dark Figure at the Center of Putin’s Prisoner-Swap Demands
In a February interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Putin clearly signaled his interest in a swap deal involving Krasikov, whom he didn’t name but described as a Russian patriot imprisoned for a killing in a Western capital. “That person, due to patriotic sentiments, eliminated a bandit,” Putin said. “Whether he did that of his own initiative or not, that is a different question.”
In August 2019, Krasikov gunned down rebel leader Zelimkhan Khangoshvili in broad daylight in a park in the heart of the German capital, a stone’s throw from the chancellor’s office and parliament. Russia says Khangoshvili was an Islamist extremist who targeted Russian security forces. A Berlin court in 2021 found Krasikov, now 58, guilty of murder and concluded that he had committed an act of “state terrorism” on behalf of Russia, choosing to carry out a gruesome and public execution to intimidate the Kremlin’s opponents...
Western and Ukrainian officials say Krasikov is believed to have been part of a Russian sniper team that targeted demonstrators [in the 2014 Maidan protests in Ukraine]. More than 100 were killed.
posted by mediareport at 7:58 AM on August 2 [4 favorites]
"The last line submitted a proposal of his own: After his release, would Putin be willing to sit down for an interview?" What a badass.
And one of the first statements he made was this:
“I think we shouldn’t forget about them, is one thing I’d like to say,” Gershkovich said, recalling other political prisoners who remain in Russia. “It would be good to potentially do something about them as well, and I’d like to talk to people about that in the next weeks and months.”
posted by mediareport at 8:09 AM on August 2 [3 favorites]
And one of the first statements he made was this:
“I think we shouldn’t forget about them, is one thing I’d like to say,” Gershkovich said, recalling other political prisoners who remain in Russia. “It would be good to potentially do something about them as well, and I’d like to talk to people about that in the next weeks and months.”
posted by mediareport at 8:09 AM on August 2 [3 favorites]
Is it just me that feels like arresting people on made up bullshit charges so that you can swap them for actual murderers and assassins is not a fantastic thing, and being part of that process isn't exactly worth celebrating without caveats at least?
YES. We really felt this in the Boston area where a lot of the crimes were committed. Sure wish the media would point these things out.
posted by Melismata at 8:10 AM on August 2
Call me cynical, but at least a few of those Russian political prisoners were probably US agents.
But if it gets reported in the media as a win for Biden, that's fine by me.
posted by subdee at 8:31 AM on August 2
But if it gets reported in the media as a win for Biden, that's fine by me.
posted by subdee at 8:31 AM on August 2
Oh yikes. Apparently Bloomberg broke a press embargo before the exchange even happened.
That's messed up.
posted by constraint at 8:58 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
That's messed up.
posted by constraint at 8:58 AM on August 2 [2 favorites]
The big surprise is that Putin cut this deal with Biden so close to the election. It's a major political win for the Dems, and given how much Putin is betting his legacy in Ukraine on waiting for 45 to win the election, it's really shocking Putin wouldn't choose to wait 6 months.
Yeah, this has been what I've been wondering since I heard the news. What's in it for Putin? I guess it makes it look like he's not pulling Trump's strings?
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 9:26 AM on August 2 [1 favorite]
Yeah, this has been what I've been wondering since I heard the news. What's in it for Putin? I guess it makes it look like he's not pulling Trump's strings?
Basically, he's thinking "If it's not Trump, the future value of the prisoners as tokens goes down, a lot. I'd get more value out of 'spending' them soon if it's not him." In other words, he wouldn't do this if here were still expecting Trump to win; this is a move to get something of value now instead of saving them to give his pawn (Trump) a win later.
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:56 AM on August 2 [9 favorites]
Basically, he's thinking "If it's not Trump, the future value of the prisoners as tokens goes down, a lot. I'd get more value out of 'spending' them soon if it's not him." In other words, he wouldn't do this if here were still expecting Trump to win; this is a move to get something of value now instead of saving them to give his pawn (Trump) a win later.
posted by Tomorrowful at 10:56 AM on August 2 [9 favorites]
Putin is able to give a hero's welcome to his henchmen. It's good propaganda in Russia for that victory. Nobody cares who they were exchanged for. This is good enough.
posted by UN at 2:09 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by UN at 2:09 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Putin's illegal imprisonment of Evan Gershkovich never made sense to me
And yet he got his assassin back…and confirmed the utility of hostage taking.
What was the question again?
posted by Galvanic at 3:03 PM on August 2
And yet he got his assassin back…and confirmed the utility of hostage taking.
What was the question again?
posted by Galvanic at 3:03 PM on August 2
I don't think Putin just figured out the utility of hostages.
posted by droomoord at 3:36 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
posted by droomoord at 3:36 PM on August 2 [2 favorites]
Zeit Online reporting (ungated) that the release of Alexei Navalny was also in the works for a very long time, but Annalena Baerbock was informally blocking it (for unbelivably stupid reasons):
It's unclear what the various deals and options for the exchange were.
If it was about exchanging him for a murderer, I think it's reasonable to block that exchange. Primarily because it's unjust to the family of the victim.
Secondly, Navalny was already given support and refuge by the German government — but chose to go back to Russia when everyone knew he'd be imprisoned or murdered.
Combine the two things: Navalny is freed but goes back to Russia again or is assassinated in Germany (where we release assassins from prison!), and the murderer is freed... What's the point? A win-win-win for Putin.
Speculatively I don't think Baerbock is worried about the government being "duped" as the article states, it's not her character. She generally acts on principle. Worried about the duped aspect is probably an interpretation from the office of the Chancellor, who, in the words of Ukraine's former ambassador to Germany, is indeed an easily insulted sausage.
posted by UN at 12:41 AM on August 3 [3 favorites]
It's unclear what the various deals and options for the exchange were.
If it was about exchanging him for a murderer, I think it's reasonable to block that exchange. Primarily because it's unjust to the family of the victim.
Secondly, Navalny was already given support and refuge by the German government — but chose to go back to Russia when everyone knew he'd be imprisoned or murdered.
Combine the two things: Navalny is freed but goes back to Russia again or is assassinated in Germany (where we release assassins from prison!), and the murderer is freed... What's the point? A win-win-win for Putin.
Speculatively I don't think Baerbock is worried about the government being "duped" as the article states, it's not her character. She generally acts on principle. Worried about the duped aspect is probably an interpretation from the office of the Chancellor, who, in the words of Ukraine's former ambassador to Germany, is indeed an easily insulted sausage.
posted by UN at 12:41 AM on August 3 [3 favorites]
douБle Бluff
Please do not fo this; it's obnoxious. Other people's writing systems aren't your silly little toys, and this serves no purpose besides othering folks based on their native language.
posted by adrienneleigh at 9:27 AM on August 3 [3 favorites]
Please do not fo this; it's obnoxious. Other people's writing systems aren't your silly little toys, and this serves no purpose besides othering folks based on their native language.
posted by adrienneleigh at 9:27 AM on August 3 [3 favorites]
Some of those swapped have expressed mixed feelings about it.
posted by Captaintripps at 10:29 AM on August 3 [1 favorite]
posted by Captaintripps at 10:29 AM on August 3 [1 favorite]
Mod note: Comments removed, response left up for context. Do not do things to make text harder to read for the audience, especially in threads where that sort of humor can be misunderstood.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 12:48 PM on August 3
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 12:48 PM on August 3
People really need to stop going to Putin's Russia, just as people shouldn't travel to the DPRK.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 12:46 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 12:46 PM on August 4 [2 favorites]
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