(WWJ) It's a momentous day for Paul Whelan, the Metro Detroit native who's been imprisoned in Russia since his arrest there in 2018.
President Joe Biden says Russia is releasing Whelan, a former U.S. Marine from Novi, Michigan, as part of a major prisoner swap with the U.S.
In an address to the nation on Thursday, President Biden said it was through "a feat of diplomacy" that the U.S. secured the release of three American citizens imprisoned in Russia — including Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.
"Their brutal ordeal is over, and they're free," Biden said. "Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They're out of Russia. Earlier today the were flown to Turkey, and soon they'll be wheels up on their way home to see their families."
Whelan was arrested in December of 2018 while visiting Russia to attend a friend's wedding. He was convicted and sentenced in June 2020 to 16 years for espionage charges.
A former U.S. Marine, Whelan has adamantly and continually denied all allegations, and Russian officials never presented evidence against him publicly.
In Washtenaw County's Manchester, the small town where Whelan's parents live, the whole community is abuzz at the news.
"Wow, it is amazing...it kinda brought tears to some of our eyes," Leslie Kirkland, owner of the Manchester Diner, told WWJ Newsradio 950's Jonathan Carlson and Jackie Paige. "His parents Ed and Rosemary come to the diner regularly and, you know, we've just watched them go through this for years."
"We are just ecstatic," Kirkland said. "I mean, it's just the talk of the town right now. Everybody's just so happy."
If completed successfully, the swap will include a total of 24 prisoners, with the US, Russia, Germany, and three other Western countries involved, according to CBS News, citing a senior Biden administration official.
Oakland University Professor Peter Trumbore, an expert on international affairs says if this goes through as planned, it will be the "biggest prisoner exchange since the Cold War."
"This is a really big deal," said Trumbore, speaking live on WWJ. "...The most people involved, the number of countries that are apparently part of this deal. So, this is incredibly complex, and anytime you are involving more than just two countries in an arrangement like this, the amount of diplomacy that goes on is pretty extraordinary."
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-07) called the news of Whelan's and the others' release "tremendous."
"They and their families have suffered horribly, and now they will be reunited thanks to determined diplomacy by the Biden team of negotiators and the advocacy of Rep. Haley Stevens and others in Congress," Slotkin said.
“Special appreciation goes to Paul’s family, who refused to let him be forgotten, and were relentless in the visits and calls with officials in Washington to keep hope alive for Paul."
Slotkin added: “Today’s happy news is also a reminder that we face a dangerous and unprincipled adversary in Vladimir Putin. He uses innocent Americans as pawns. Those who want to cozy up to him, or simply turn a blind eye to his demands in Ukraine, would do well to remember the suffering of Paul, the Whelan family, and the millions of Ukrainians living with the consequences of Putin’s actions.”
In a statement released by Paul Whelan's brother, the Whelan family thanked the U.S. government for making Paul’s freedom a reality.
The statement reads, in part: "There is no way to thank the many Americans and others who helped and gave hope to Paul from afar, writing letters and donating to his GoFundMe prison account. We are grateful for the assistance that, like Paul’s extended family, came from across the globe."
"Paul Whelan is not in a Russian labor colony any longer, but he is not home," the statement continues. "While Paul was wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, he lost his home. He lost his job. We are unsure how someone overcomes these losses and rejoins society after being a hostage. We are grateful for everyone’s efforts to help Paul while he was away. We hope you will continue to help him by providing Paul the space and privacy he needs as he rebuilds his life. It is Paul's story to tell and he will tell it when he is able." [Read the complete statement]
This exchange marks the third in last two years between Washington and Moscow, with the others including a December 2022 trade that brought WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the U.S. in exchange for notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout, following the exchange earlier that year of Marine veteran Trevor Reed for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot convicted in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 for more on this developing story.