A significant East-West prisoner exchange occurred recently, involving multiple nations. Three U.S. citizens, including Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, were released from Russia, alongside Paul Whelan, a Marine detained since 2018 on espionage charges. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a British-Russian political prisoner, was also freed after a lengthy imprisonment for treason, during which he faced severe conditions. The exchange included a total of 26 individuals from various countries, with Russian planes transporting detainees to and from the U.S. and Germany. The operation, coordinated by Turkish intelligence, is one of the largest of its kind in recent times, though full details of all exchanged individuals are pending. This event highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions and the plight of political prisoners within Russia.