Swapped

Yesterday, Turkey coordinated the most extensive, multi-country prisoner swap in decades.

Turkish officials said 16 prisoners held in Russia and Belarus were swapped for 10 prisoners held in the U.S., Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and Norway. Included were three Russian-held Americans—WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich (held since 2023), ex-Marine Paul Whelan (held since 2018), and radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva (held since 2023)—whom the United States considered wrongly detained. (See the first photo of them freed.)

They were reunited with their families on American soil last night. 

Meanwhile, 13 freed prisoners were flown to Germany, and 10 were flown to Russia. Most notable among those released to Russia was Vadim Krasikov, a high-ranking member of Russia’s FSB intelligence service who was serving a life sentence for murdering a critic in a German park in broad daylight.

__

ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
The promise of heaven does not remove the pains of this world, but it does give us hope, strength, and peace during life’s most difficult seasons. Join us in praying for healing, peace, and strength for those released, as well as for the many who remain wrongly imprisoned worldwide.

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2 (CSB) (read full passage)