The Kremlin has confirmed that a Russian detainee in the U.S. will be freed shortly, coinciding with the return of American Marc Fogel. This development comes after Fogel was welcomed back to the U.S. by President Trump following his imprisonment in Russia.
U.S. and Russia Execute Prisoner Exchange as Marc Fogel Returns Home
U.S. and Russia Execute Prisoner Exchange as Marc Fogel Returns Home
In a notable diplomatic move, Russia announces the impending release of a Russian citizen held in the U.S. following the return of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel.
The Kremlin announced Wednesday that a Russian citizen currently held in the United States would be released "in the coming days," following the recent return of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel. Dmitri S. Peskov, the spokesperson for the Kremlin, noted that intense negotiations between the U.S. and Russia facilitated both this exchange and Fogel's release. The identity of the Russian prisoner remains confidential until their release occurs.
Fogel, who spent over three years in a Russian prison, arrived back in the U.S. Tuesday aboard a private jet, accompanied by Steve Witkoff, who serves as President Trump's Middle East envoy with extended responsibilities regarding Russia and its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Upon his return, Fogel received a warm welcome from Trump, expressing gratitude for the successful negotiation of his release.
While the White House has categorized Fogel’s freedom as an "exchange," details regarding the specifics of the deal or the identity of the Russian counterpart have not been disclosed. Fogel, aged 63, had worked at the Anglo-American School in Moscow for nearly a decade prior to his arrest at a Moscow airport in August 2021, where authorities discovered cannabis that his lawyer claims was meant for medical purposes to alleviate back pain. His conviction came in June 2022, where he was accused of "large-scale drug smuggling," culminating in a 14-year sentence at a labor camp.
