Posted on 08/02/2024 11:32:02 AM PDT by BenLurkin
With the exchange complete, details can now be revealed that show just how close a swap along similar lines but including Navalny appeared to be back in February...
A detailed investigation by the Wall Street Journal into the behind-the-scenes negotiations over the exchange described how its origins lay in a meeting in Geneva between the Russian and US leaders shortly after Joe Biden became president, long before Gershkovich’s arrest. There, Vladimir Putin suggested setting up a special channel to deal with prisoner swaps, an echo of a cold war practice. Biden agreed. Eventually, it led to Russia releasing the basketball player Brittney Griner, caught at a Moscow airport with a small amount of hash oil in what appeared to be a calculated move to take an American hostage. She was swapped for Viktor Bout, one of the world’s most notorious arms dealers...
Next, Moscow turned its attention to Vadim Krasikov, an assassin who travelled to Germany on a passport that identified him as Vadim Sokolov and shot dead a Chechen exile in a park in 2019. He was arrested while removing his wig and trying to flee the scene. The Kremlin denied any connection and the assassin refused to speak under interrogation. Journalist Christo Grozev cracked the case, identifying him as Krasikov, part of an elite unit of the FSB, the Russian security service.
...
Eventually, a deal of eight for eight came into view, said Grozev. It would have involved Navalny, Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan among those released by Russia, while a similar group of Russians to that seen this week would return to Moscow.
...
In the months after Navalny’s death, gradually a new deal began to take shape that involved more Russian opposition figures and again getting the Germans onside.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
> Alexei Navaln
The opposition leader? Why? Was he working for the US?
With the Biden Crime Family at the helm it’s hard to see who is working for who.
A better deal if they dig the guy up and trade him?
You left out an important part of the story:
Navalny. After all, the contours of this deal had been drawn up with him in mind, and then, just when his freedom seemed tantalisingly within grasp, he died – or was murdered – in prison.
So Putin is like “oops, he’s dead now.”
And Biden said, “No problem. You can have your KGB killer back anyway.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.