The recent prisoner swap between Russia and the West has brought to light several high-profile individuals who were released as part of the exchange. These individuals were accused of various crimes ranging from cybercriminal activities to espionage and assassination. Let’s take a closer look at some of the profiles of those who were freed in this swap.
Vadim Krasikov, a hitman, was one of the most well-known figures released in the exchange. He was convicted in 2021 of shooting dead a Georgian dissident in a Berlin park. The victim, Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, had fought against Russia in the Chechnya war before seeking asylum in Germany. Krasikov, a colonel in Russia’s security agency, was arrested before he could escape and was believed to have acted on behalf of Russian authorities.
Vladislav Klyushin, a businessman, was sentenced to nine years in 2023 for his involvement in a hacking scheme that earned him an estimated $33 million. The scheme involved stealing secret earnings information and using it to make trades on Wall Street before the information became public. Klyushin, who has ties to the Kremlin through his cybersecurity company M13, was arrested in 2021 and later extradited to the US on fraud charges.
Roman Seleznev, a prolific cybercriminal, was serving a 27-year sentence in the US for stealing millions of credit card numbers from various firms. He was released several decades early as part of the exchange. Seleznev, who was extradited from the Maldives in 2014, also has connections to the Russian ruling class through his father, who is a politician.
Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, a Russian “sleeper cell” couple, were arrested on spying charges in Ljubljana in 2022 after posing as Argentine citizens. The couple, who have two children, had been using the city as a base since 2017 to pass on Moscow’s orders to other spies. They pleaded guilty and were given a 19-month sentence, but were released based on time already served.
Vadim Konoshchenok, a suspected officer in Russia’s Federal Security Service, was extradited from Estonia to the US last year. He was accused of smuggling ammunition and dual-use technology to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine. Konoshchenok was detained in 2022 while trying to travel from Estonia to Russia with several dozen types of semiconductors and electrical components.
Pavel Rubtsov, known as Pablo Gonzalez, was held in Poland on espionage charges for allegedly spying for Russia since the start of the Ukraine invasion. Using his Spanish-Russian dual nationality and work as a journalist as cover, Rubtsov was accused of passing sensitive information to Russian authorities.
Mikhail Mikushin, who posed as a Brazilian national and worked as a lecturer in Norway, was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia in 2022. Prosecutors later revealed his true identity as Mikhail Mikushin from Russia. These individuals represent a diverse range of criminal activities and highlight the complex nature of international espionage and cybercrime.
