Prisoners set to be freed in biggest Russia-West exchange since Cold War

Three US citizens imprisoned in Russia are expected to be released today under a major prisoner exchange deal

Reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva will be released under the deal agreed by the Biden administration, a senior US official confirms

Others are believed to be part of the exchange, which is expected to take place later today

The exchange will involve 24 prisoners held in Russia, the US, Germany and three other Western countries

Rumours that a swap was imminent emerged after reports that several notable prisoners in Russia had recently gone missing from the jails they were held in