The German government played a key role in a prisoner swap between Moscow and the West, freeing Vadim Krasikov, a Russian convicted of killing a former Chechen rebel in Berlin in 2019. This decision was not taken lightly, the German government said, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
Krasikov was among Russian prisoners released by the West in exchange for 15 people imprisoned "unfairly" in Russia, and a German sentenced to death in Belarus. Russia had offered to release American prisoners in exchange for Krasikov as early as 2022, but the US did not take the offer seriously, as Krasikov was not under their jurisdiction.
The problem was compounded by the fact that the killing of the Chechen with a Georgian passport was carried out brazenly, a few minutes' walk from the parliament and the office of then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. It was only in January of this year that US President Joe Biden raised the issue directly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who agreed.
"It was not easy for anyone to make this decision - to deport a murderer sentenced to life in prison after only a few years in prison," said Scholz, who interrupted his summer vacation to meet the released prisoners at Cologne airport.
The state interest in imposing the sentence had to be weighed against the freedom of innocent people imprisoned in Russia, as well as those unjustly imprisoned for political reasons. Scholz added that the decision strengthened the American-German friendship.
The deal could help Biden's Democrats ahead of the presidential election in November, which in turn is in Berlin's interest, given concerns about a possible deterioration of the transatlantic alliance if Donald Trump is re-elected.
Scholz said he spoke extensively with those who arrived in Germany after their release from Russia. "Many did not expect this to happen now and are still full of feelings about their sudden freedom," he said. Those released will receive medical examinations and other assistance in the coming days.
Following the detention of several German citizens in Russia in the last half of 2023 and the beginning of this year, the German Foreign Ministry has clearly reiterated its warnings that German citizens should not travel to Russia.
Among those released in the exchange was Rico Krieger, a German sentenced to death in Belarus for terrorism. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko pardoned him on Tuesday, a sign of the upcoming swap.
Another released is Kevin Leak, a 19-year-old with dual Russian-German citizenship, sentenced to four years in prison for treason in December 2023. Lick, the youngest convicted of treason in the history of Russia, was accused of sending pictures to a military unit of the German services.
Germany and the US demonstrated a level of trust and mutual understanding that made possible the exchange of prisoners and strengthened transatlantic ties.