In a landmark event, President Vladimir Putin greeted eight Russian nationals returning from a historic prisoner exchange with the West.
The exchange, the largest since the Cold War, saw the return of Vadim Krasikov, a hitman convicted in Germany for the murder of a former Chechen militant, and cybercriminals Vladislav Klyushin and Roman Seleznyov, convicted in the U.S.
Among those welcomed back were the Dultsevs, a Russian family convicted in Slovenia of espionage while posing as Argentinians. The couple, deep-cover agents or "illegals," were trained to impersonate foreigners and had spent years living under false identities.
In exchange, Moscow released U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, among others, after more than a year of secret negotiations. Putin, a former KGB officer and ex-head of Russia's FSB security service, personally met the returnees at a Moscow airport. He greeted them with hugs, handshakes, and bouquets as they stepped off the plane onto a red carpet lined with a Kremlin honor guard.
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Krasikov, the first to disembark in casual attire, received a warm embrace from Putin. A visibly pleased Putin addressed the group inside the airport, expressing gratitude for their loyalty and service to the Motherland. He promised state awards and future discussions about their roles.
High-ranking officials, including Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB, Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR foreign intelligence service, and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, welcomed the returnees.
Earlier, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev commented on the exchange, stating that while traitors should rot in prison, it was more beneficial for Moscow to regain its nationals. He noted that these traitors would now likely adopt new identities under witness protection programs.
