The historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West initially aimed to include the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died under mysterious circumstances in February while imprisoned. Navalny's death, widely attributed to Putin's regime, threatened to derail the complex negotiations involving seven countries. Despite this setback, the swap proceeded, resulting in the release of 16 prisoners from Russian penal colonies, including high-profile detainees like American journalist Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan. In exchange, the West released eight prisoners, with the linchpin being Vadim Krasikov, a convicted assassin held in Germany. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized the ongoing efforts to secure Navalny's release before his death and acknowledged the challenging diplomatic choices involved. President Biden hailed the swap as a significant diplomatic achievement.