The President personally greeted those returning home. Still from the video, kremlin.ru
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated those released on their return.
On August 1, the largest diplomatic exchange of prisoners between Russia, the United States and Belarus in the entire post-war history took place. Only prisoners of war were exchanged more at once in terms of the number of people. And in one day, 26 people were exchanged. The entire procedure took place on neutral territory, in Turkey.
In total, eight of our citizens returned to Russia. They were taken home on a Tu-204 government aircraft. This is a special modification in which all the seats in the cabin are of the business class level of a regular airliner. That is, the passengers were transported home in comfort.
Vladimir Putin personally met all eight of them at the airfield near the Vnukovo-2 government terminal. This is an honour not bestowed upon all leaders of countries! At least Vladimir Vladimirovich saw President Xi last year only in the Kremlin and not at the airport.
An honor guard was placed along the red carpet.
– First of all, I would like to congratulate you all on returning to your homeland! – said Putin when everyone got off the plane. – I would like to appeal to those of you who are related to military personnel. I want to thank you for your loyalty to the oath, to your duty and to the Motherland, which has not forgotten you for a single minute. All of you will be nominated for state awards. We will meet again and discuss your future.
Vladimir Vladimirovich hugged all the men who got off the plane and handed out bouquets of flowers to the women. Many could not hide their tears of emotion.
Eight Russians exchanged:
Artem and Anna Dultsev were arrested and convicted in Slovenia for espionage.
Vladislav Klyushin was arrested in Switzerland in 2021 and later deported to the United States, where he was convicted of alleged interference in the US election.
Vadim Konoshchenok was arrested in 2022 in Estonia and deported to the United States for purchasing microelectronics for our defense industry.
Vadim Krasikov was sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for the murder of former Chechen field commander Zelimkhan Khangoshvili.
Mikhail Mikushin was arrested in Norway on charges of espionage.
Pavel Rubtsov was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Poland on charges of espionage.
Roman Seleznev, the son of State Duma deputy Valery Seleznev from the LDPR, was kidnapped by US intelligence services in the Maldives 10 years ago, and in the United States he was sentenced to 27 years in prison for hacker attacks on American companies.
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