Pardon diplomacy: Putin frees Western detainees, lauds Lukashenko

Vladimir Putin signed decrees pardoning all prisoners who were exchanged for Russians detained in the West. The Russian side emphasized its gratitude, among other things, to Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

As reported by the Kremlin press service, Vladimir Putin signed decrees pardoning Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Lilia Chanysheva, Ilya Yashin, Ksenia Fadeyeva, Andrey Pivovar, Paul Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Oleg Orlov, Sasha Skocilenko, Demuri Voronin, Kevin Lick, Patrick Schöbel, Herman Moyses, and Vadim Ostanin.

The Kremlin was the first to release the names of all the freed prisoners, thereby confirming information previously provided by the media.

The statement said, "The decision to sign the decrees was made to facilitate the return of citizens of the Russian Federation who were detained and imprisoned in the territories of foreign countries."

The Kremlin emphasizes that the Russian side "is grateful to Belarusian President A. G. Lukashenko" for "a gesture of goodwill and the pardon of German citizen R. Krieger, who was sentenced to life imprisonment." He was one of the men who also participated in Thursday's prisoner exchange.

The statement added, "Moscow is also grateful to the leaders of all the countries that helped in preparing the exchange."

FSB simultaneously announced that eight freed individuals returned to Russia.

A major prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries occurred in Ankara, involving 26 individuals. According to Turkish authorities, the exchange included prisoners from the USA, Russia, Germany, Poland, Norway, Slovenia, and Belarus.

Ten prisoners, including two minors, were relocated to Russia, thirteen to Germany, and three to the USA, the Turks reported.