Gershkovich and Whelan Leave Russia in Prisoner Swap Announcement from the US

The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan are leaving Russia as part of a prisoner swap, according to a report by Bloomberg.

According to the agency, the released Americans are traveling outside of Russia's borders.

On July 31, Reuters reported, citing human rights activists, that a large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries is in the works.

On the same day, Slovenian N1 television reported that a significant prisoner exchange could happen in the coming hours involving Russia, the U.S., Germany, and Belarus. According to the television network, the exchange will include Russians Artem and Anna Dulceva, who lived in Slovenia under Argentinian passports and were convicted of espionage by Ljubljana.

Additionally, Fox News reported that The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage in Russia, will return to the U.S. on August 1 as part of the prisoner swap.

Previously, the Kremlin had declined to comment on the topic of Gershkovich and other prisoner exchanges.