Biden, Harris welcome home Americans released in Russia prisoner swap

Washington —  President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greeted three Americans released by Russia in a complex prisoner swap involving 24 people being held in six countries when they arrived on U.S. soil late Thursday. 

A plane carrying Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after they were freed as part of the swap that also involved Germany, Slovenia, Poland and Norway. 

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a U.S. green card holder and Kremlin critic, was also released, but opted to go to Germany, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.