Alexei Navalny was planned to be part of the Russian prisoner swap deal

A group of associates of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were recently released from Russian prisons in a swap orchestrated in part by Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. The exchange included three individuals who had worked with Navalny and had been jailed for extremism. The negotiations for the swap originated from a meeting between the Russian and US leaders, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, in Geneva. The exchange also involved the release of an American basketball player caught in Moscow with hash oil and a notorious Russian arms dealer held in US custody. The deal was meant to include Navalny, but his untimely death in prison thwarted the plans. Journalist Christo Grozev, known for uncovering Russian spies and assassins, advocated for Navalny to be included in the swap, believing that his release could potentially reshape Russian politics. Despite initial resistance, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich played a key role in securing Putin’s approval for the exchange. The negotiations involved multiple players in Washington, Berlin, and Moscow. The eventual exchange, facilitated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and approved by Putin, occurred on Thursday, with former prisoners and journalists like Gershkovich now free. The details of the deal shed light on the complex and delicate nature of international negotiations involving high-profile individuals and political considerations.

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