Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) coordinated a historic prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, including U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, and other top figures in Ankara on Thursday.
"A (prisoner) exchange operation will take place today under the coordination of our organization," MIT said in a statement. "Our organization has undertaken a major mediation role in this exchange operation, which is the most comprehensive of the recent period."
A Russian government plane landed in Ankara on Thursday, shortly after MIT’s announcement.
Turkish intelligence effectively utilized intelligence diplomacy to mediate the prisoner exchange, and brought all sides together in Türkiye in July, security sources said.
The swap involved 26 individuals from seven countries, including the U.S., Russia, Germany, Slovenia, Poland and Belarus, sources said, adding that 10 prisoners, including two minors, were transferred to Russia, 13 others were transferred to Germany and three were transferred to the U.S.
The historic exchange included significant figures, including The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and U.S. Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned by Russia over espionage claims, Russian dissident Ilya Yashin and FSB colonel Vadim Krasikov imprisoned in Germany, and German mercenary Rico Krieger imprisoned in Belarus.
Gershkovich, 32, was detained in Russia in March 2023 and convicted in July on espionage charges in a fast-track trial denounced as a sham by the U.S.
Hopes had risen in recent days after a number of high-profile prisoners in Russia, including Whelan, went missing from prisons where they were serving long terms, fueling speculation they were being moved ahead of a swap.
As a rule, swaps can only happen after a conviction in Russia, and the disappearance of several high-profile political prisoners at once is extremely rare.
The prisoners were placed on flights with the approval and instructions of MIT and the return of the aircraft of participating nations was also authorized by MIT.
Considered the most extensive swap between Russia and Western countries since World War II, MIT paved the way for channels of dialogue for the operation in July 2024, when all sides were brought together in Türkiye. The agency effectively implemented mediation activities and intelligence diplomacy and was in charge of the whole operation. It supervised the exchange process, ensured security measures, and logistical planning, facilitated communication and coordination between the parties and also conducted medical checks of prisoners and other requests by exchanging parties.
This was the first prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since star U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner was swapped in return for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in December 2022.
It was also the biggest exchange since 2010, when 14 alleged spies were exchanged between Russia and the West. They included double agent Sergei Skripal, who was sent by Moscow to Britain and undercover Russian agent Anna Chapman, sent by Washington to Russia.
Before then, major swaps involving more than a dozen people had only taken place during the Cold War, with Soviet and Western powers carrying out exchanges in 1985 and 1986.
Always emphasizing regional stability and neighborly relations, Türkiye is among a few countries that have maintained good ties with Russia and Ukraine during the conflict between the two countries. It has positioned itself as an intermediary in the Russia-Ukraine war. It brokered a grain deal under the shadow of conflict and hosted prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine and offers to act as a mediator for finding a permanent solution.