Video: Biden, Kamala Harris Welcome Americans Freed in Russian-West Prisoner Swap

Washington: Following the release of Americans from Russian prisons as part of a historic prisoner swap between Moscow and the West on August 1, US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed and received the released prisoners after they landed in the US on Friday, August 2.

A plane carrying three freed Americans, including journalist Gershkovich and former US Marine Whelan, landed at the military base in Maryland late on Thursday. This marks the biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, with two dozen prisoners exchanged between Russia and the West.

Biden and Harris reached the Joint Base Andrews, a military facility, to welcome the 3 Americans freed from Russian captivity.

The video from the military facility was shared by the office of Kamala Harris wherein both the leaders were seen welcoming the released prisoner with a warm hug.

While sharing the video, Harris office wrote, "Happening Now: @POTUS and I are at Joint Base Andrews to welcome home Americans freed from Russia(sic)."

The families of the American detainees were also present there who welcomed and hugged them with tears of joy as they saw them after a long time. Welcome home," Biden said to the released detainees.

The four people freed by Russia include Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza.

"The deal that secured the freedom of Paul, Evan, Alsu, and Vladimir was a feat of diplomacy. All told, we’ve negotiated the release of 16 people from Russia – some of whom were unjustly held for years. All have endured unimaginable suffering. Today, their agony is over," Biden wrote on X while sharing the news.

“Today, three American citizens and one American green-card holder who were unjustly imprisoned in Russia are finally coming home: Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza,” Biden had said in a statement on Thursday.

For the West, the deal secured the release of 16 people from Russia, including five Germans and seven Russian political prisoners, according to the United States statement.

Gershkovich was arrested in 2023 and awarded a 16- year sentence last month on spying charges while Whelan, Michigan corporate security executive, was detained in 2020 on espionage charges, as well.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual US-Russian citizen was convicted in July of spreading misinformation about the Russian military.

The US had deemed both prisoners “wrongfully detained”.

The deal was the latest in a series of prisoner exchange negotiated between Moscow and the Washington in the past two years but the first to require significant concessions from other countries, with seven nations agreeing to give up 24 prisoners.