Russia agrees to multi-country prison swap that includes Americans Whelan, reporter Gershkovich

Russia has agreed a a multi-country prison swap involving dozens of prisoners, including Americans Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, Turkish officials said Thursday morning.

Turkey also says the deal involves 24 prisoners and Germany.

The swap, if completed, would be the largest since the Cold War, according to ABC News. 

Gershkovich was arrested by Russian authorities in March 2023 on suspicion of espionage, an allegation he and U.S. officials have strongly denied.

The 32-year-old Gershkovich was found guilty July 19 in a Russian court and sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony.

Whelan, who holds U.S., British, Irish and Canadian citizenship, was arrested in December 2018 while traveling on an American passport in Russia and was also accused of espionage, ABC News also reports.

This is a developing story ...