Putin Vows Continued Support for Russians Detained Abroad
Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his commitment to aiding Russian citizens detained abroad, during his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Thursday. His remarks followed a major prisoner exchange in August involving Western countries.
Putin emphasized Russia’s unwavering stance on protecting its citizens, stating, “We treat all Russian citizens the same when they need the assistance of the state. And we will continue to do so in the future.”
The August 1 exchange involved 26 individuals, with Russia and its ally Belarus releasing 16 prisoners, including eight political detainees. Among those freed was Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Germany, one of the participating countries, released Vadim Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence for the 2019 assassination of a Chechen exile in Berlin.
Other nations involved in the complex exchange were Poland, Slovenia, and Norway.
