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Russian held in US to be released in wake of Fogel release, Kremlin says

12 February 2025 15:19 (UTC +04:00)

A Russian held in a U.S. prison will be repatriated to Russia following the release of U.S. citizen Marc Fogel, who was returned to the United States on Tuesday, Moscow said, APA reports citing abc.News.

"In exchange for Fogel, a Russian citizen imprisoned in the United States will be returned to Russia in the coming days," Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said on Wednesday.

"As we have informed earlier, recently, the cooperation between the two countries has been intensified through their respective institutions, and as a result of these contacts, Fogel, as well as one of the Russian citizens currently held in U.S. prisons, has been released. This Russian citizen will also return to Russia in the coming days," said the Kremlin spokesperson.

Peskov also mentioned that the contacts between Kremlin representatives and the Trump administration have intensified recently.

Note that yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow. There have been reports that he held talks with Russian officials, as well as with President Vladimir Putin.

After Witkoff's negotiations, Moscow released American diplomat Mark Fogel, who had been sentenced to three years in prison in Russia on drug charges.