Three US Citizens Freed in Historic Prisoner Exchange Land in Maryland, Greeted by Biden and Harris

A plane carrying three freed US citizens, freed as part of a historic prisoner exchange between Western countries and Russia, has landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met them at the airbase.

Among those returning were former Marine Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Hershkovich, and Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

The released Americans were greeted by their families and a group of Wall Street Journal employees who had come to meet their colleague.

Paul Whelan was the first to disembark, clapping and saluting before shaking hands with Biden and Harris. He was met on the runway by his sister.

Hershkovich also shook hands with Biden before embracing his parents. He expressed his relief to his Wall Street Journal colleagues, saying, “I’m home.”

Alsu Kurmasheva followed suit, greeting the president and vice president before running to hug her husband and daughters.

It was reported that the three Americans had some time to reunite with their families before boarding another plane to San Antonio. There, they will be taken to Brooke Army Medical Center for medical evaluations and care.

On August 1, Turkey officially confirmed the exchange of 26 prisoners held in prisons across seven countries: the USA, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, Russia, and Belarus.