WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich could be freed as part of prisoner swap, Russian media say

American journalist Evan Gershkovich could be released as part of a prisoner swap, Russian media claim.

The Wall Street Journal reporter could be among 20 to 30 political prisoners swapped with the nation, according to the Moscow time.

The deal is said to involve both the United States and Germanywith a source telling the Russian channel that the swap could be “imminent”.

It comes amid domestic speculation Russia that a high-risk prisoner swap is in the works after notable prisoners were taken out of their prisons and moved to an undisclosed location.

Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges that the United States says are illegitimate. In July he was sentenced to 16 years in prison

According to the Russian outlet, other prisoners who could be part of the deal include people linked to Alexei Navalny, the political opponent of Vladimir Putin who was found dead in a prison camp in February.

If reports of an exchange of up to 30 prisoners are true, it would be the largest prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia since the end of the Cold War.

According to the anonymous source cited by the Moscow Times, Russian authorities have made “great efforts to keep information in Russia as secret as possible until the last moment.”

The developments came as recently as Wednesday, when Kremlin military jets flew into isolated regions of Russia where political prisoners are being held.

Other signs that the deal may be imminent are that four Russians jailed in the United States on charges including cybercrime, smuggling and money laundering disappeared from the database of federal prisoners in the United States, according to the Moscow Times.

The reporter was working for the Wall Street Journal covering Russia when he was arrested

Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges that the United States says are illegitimate.

In July he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

However, his time in an isolated Russian prison camp could soon be over, if Russian media reports are true.

It comes after a Slovenian broadcaster, N1 Slovenia, reported that a major prisoner exchange could also take place, which could come “in the next few hours”.

Reports cited an exchange involving the US, Germany, Russia and Belarus.

The White House has repeatedly said it believes the charges against Gershkovich are illegitimate and is “committed” to his release.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said officials would not “negotiate in public” when asked about the prisoner swap.

“We can't trade publicly because we want to make sure we can do this job,” he said.