Starmer: Evan’s sentencing is ‘despicable’
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously hit out at the sentencing of Evan Gershkovich, saying it was “despicable”.
He said: "The sentencing of WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russia’s utter contempt for media freedom.
"Journalism should not be a crime.
"Gershkovich must be released immediately."
How big is the prison swap?
Today's swap would be the largest since a famous 2010 exchange deal and one of the biggest exchanges between the West and Russia in history.
The 2010 swap brought GRU double agent Sergei Skripal to Britain, and notorious SVR glamour spy Anna Chapman - who held a UK passport - back to Russia after she was expelled from the US.
Russia, the US and Germany are all involved in today's exchange agreement, the Moscow Times reported.
It is understood Evan, 32, has not yet been released, but it is believed to be imminent.
A Russian government plane has been seen landing at Ankara Airport in Turkey today where the journalist is due to be one of the political prisoners exchanged in the coming hours.
Up to 30 other prisoners in Russian jails - including former US marine Paul Whelan - are also set to be released.
Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in prison
A Russian court sentenced innocent American journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison earlier this month following a sham trial.
Evan, 32, pleaded not guilty during the closed-door trial over bogus espionage charges, which came to an unexpectedly fast end on Friday.
The Wall Street Journal reporter has been wrongly accused by Vladimir Putin's crooks of collecting "secret information" for the CIA.
They have offered no evidence of Evan's 'crimes' since he was arrested on March 29, 2023.
Prosecutors had requested a horrific 18-year sentence for Evan, the first journalist in Russia to be charged with spying since the Soviet era.
