Mega deal with Russia How does such a large-scale prisoner exchange work?

An exchange of prisoners can only succeed if each side benefits. As several countries are involved this time, complex negotiations and extensive preparations were necessary.

DPA

01.08.2024, 18:30

01.08.2024, 18:39

dpa

At a time of great tension, Russia and the West exchanged prisoners, including five German citizens and three Americans, according to Joe Biden. Russia also released prominent opponents of the Kremlin. The so-called Tiergarten murderer imprisoned in Germany was also released.

The fact that the operation, which was carried out via the Turkish capital Ankara, was imminent had been apparent for several days - at the latest after ruler Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus overturned the death sentence against the German Rico K. on Tuesday. Important questions and answers about the deal:

How does such an exchange work in practice?

As everyone is suspicious of each other, once an agreement has been reached on who will be released, a place for handing over the prisoners that is acceptable to all parties involved must be found. Turkey is a NATO member and has already had difficult phases with Russia, for example because Moscow and Ankara were on opposite sides in the Syrian conflict for years.

Recently, however, there have been signs of rapprochement. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the beginning of July for talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Who is the "Tiergarten murderer"?

A Russian who, according to the verdict, treacherously shot a Georgian of Chechen descent in the Kleiner Tiergarten park in Berlin on August 23, 2019 on behalf of Russian state authorities. During the trial before the Berlin Court of Appeal, he had his lawyers explain that his name was Wadim S., that he was 50 years old and a civil engineer. He denied links to the secret service.

However, after around 14 months of proceedings, the court was convinced that the accused was Wadim K., born on 10 August 1965, who had traveled to Berlin the day before the crime disguised as a tourist. In July 2019 at the latest, "state authorities of the Russian Federation" had made the decision to liquidate the Georgian, according to the judges. Wadim K. had received the order to do so and was given a new identity.

Wadim K. watched the sentencing in December 2021 almost motionless. He waived his right to appeal. Because the man was considered highly dangerous, he did not remain in a high-security wing of Berlin's Tegel prison, but was transferred several times to other prisons in Germany.

Has there ever been an international prisoner exchange on this scale before?

In terms of the number of prisoners exchanged and the number of countries involved, the scale is considered exceptional. Russian commentators also speak of the first major release of political prisoners by the Kremlin since the end of the Cold War. However, from a Western perspective, the former oil manager Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who was released early in 2013 after ten years in prison under German mediation, was also considered a political prisoner.

Despite their tense relations, the USA and Russia had repeatedly exchanged prisoners in the past. In December 2022, during the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, US basketball player Brittney Griner, who had been convicted of a drug offense, was released. In return, Moscow received the Russian arms dealer Viktor But, who had been convicted in the USA.

Does the timing have anything to do with the US election campaign?

The fact that the US presidential election is three months away is an important factor in the timing. The preparations for a prisoner exchange, especially on this scale, are complex and lengthy. It was preceded by months of secret talks. Putin is unlikely to have had any interest in jeopardizing the progress made in the event that Republican Donald Trump were to return to power.

Although Trump is said to be close to Putin, the 78-year-old is extremely unpredictable and erratic. And he has so far said that he would offer absolutely nothing in return for the release of imprisoned Americans.

Since President Joe Biden took office at the beginning of 2021, the US government has already negotiated the release of several Americans from Russia, despite the extreme tensions caused by the war in Ukraine. The fact that two such prominent American prisoners have now been released shortly before Biden leaves office is a great success for him - and will become part of his political legacy. Biden's deputy Kamala Harris, who wants to run against Trump in the election in November, will in turn benefit from the positive news in her election campaign.

What does Kremlin chief Putin get out of the exchange?

As the former head of the secret service, Putin's main aim is to show that Russians who work abroad in Moscow's interests, come into conflict with the law and end up in prison are not forgotten. "We don't abandon our people," is a Russian saying.

The head of the Kremlin repeatedly defended the "zoo murderer". In Russia, Wadim K. is considered a hero by many because, from the point of view of the power apparatus, he avenged the deaths of dozens of Russian security forces. Several Russians who have been accused of murder and other serious crimes abroad have received honors and lucrative positions after returning home.

Russia has never admitted to having sent a killer after the Georgian. However, Putin publicly called the man killed a "bandit" and "murderer". The Foreign Ministry in Moscow criticized the Berlin verdict as "absolutely unjust, not objective". The Georgian who was killed was described as one of the "former leaders of terrorist groups in the North Caucasus".

What significance does the exchange have for international relations?

Despite the almost complete breakdown in relations between the West and Russia as a result of the war of aggression against Ukraine, there have also been contacts in the past, such as prisoner exchanges.

Opposition member Dmitry Gudkov, who fled from Russia, said that the exchange was a first step towards negotiations on peace in Ukraine. Both sides were now fed up with the war. They had shown each other through the calmness of the negotiation process and by sticking to their agreements. This was an important test of trust. For the US Democrats, this is an important success in the presidential election campaign.