Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, has been sentenced to 16 years in a strict-regime penal colony in Russia on espionage charges, which he and the US government deny.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted at a potential prisoner swap involving Gershkovich and Russians held abroad, including Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence in Germany for murder.
In addition to Gershkovich, other US citizens detained in Russia include Paul Whelan, a former US marine convicted of espionage, and Alsu Kurmasheva, a dual US-Russian citizen and reporter for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Russians held abroad who could be part of a potential prisoner swap include Vadim Krasikov, Vladimir Dunaev, and Roman Seleznev, who are serving sentences in Germany and the US for various crimes, including murder and cybercrime.
