<a class="zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE " data-testid="prism-linkbase" href="https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/russia-nation" target="_blank">Russia</a>a and the United States have agreed to swap prisoners in an extraordinary multipart deal, according to senior Biden administration official.

The swap will allow the two wrongfully detained American citizens held by Moscow, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, to return home.

<div><div class="InlineImage GpQCA lZur asrEW " data-testid="prism-inline-image"><figure class="kzIjN GNmeK pYrtp dSqFO " data-testid="prism-figure"><div class="GpQCA lZur gIjeL " data-testid="prism-ratio-frame"><div class="FvQLF iLTd NqeUA UzzHi iWsMV "><picture data-testid="prism-picture"><source media="(max-width: 414px)" srcset="https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f967c84c-1b9f-4c18-8d1f-fadd1ebf805a/whelan-file-gty-ml-240731_1722447430273_hpMain.jpg?w=375, https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f967c84c-1b9f-4c18-8d1f-fadd1ebf805a/whelan-file-gty-ml-240731_1722447430273_hpMain.jpg?w=750 2x"><source media="(min-width: 415px)" srcset="https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f967c84c-1b9f-4c18-8d1f-fadd1ebf805a/whelan-file-gty-ml-240731_1722447430273_hpMain.jpg?w=750, https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f967c84c-1b9f-4c18-8d1f-fadd1ebf805a/whelan-file-gty-ml-240731_1722447430273_hpMain.jpg?w=1500 2x"><img alt="" class="hsDdd vBqtr KrDt SjwtZ hakZw HlUVI " data-testid="prism-image" draggable="false" loading="lazy" src="https://i.abcnewsfe.com/a/f967c84c-1b9f-4c18-8d1f-fadd1ebf805a/whelan-file-gty-ml-240731_1722447430273_hpMain.jpg" width="100%" height="auto"></picture></div></div><figcaption><div class="nMMea bNYiy Mjgpa dGwha DDmxa jgKNG RGHCC aBIU PriDW lZur " data-testid="prism-caption"><div class="HXPPJ barbu IzgMt VcHIt uhSzI YGNMU cRAsZ xqMcl QtRul "><span class="hsDdd OOSI GpQCA lZur VlFaz " data-testid="prism-truncate"><span><span class="gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ ">Paul Whelan, a former US Marine accused of spying and arrested in Russia stands inside a defendants' cage during a hearing at a court in Moscow on Aug. 23, 2019.</span></span></span></div><div class="qinlA IpWvx oqZz tylGM lyWxS nWcVF UhTug PPcLh "><span class="YNujN JGtjI aZFDu rkKLh gtOSm FbbUW tUtYa vOCwz EQwFq yCufu eEak Qmvg nyTIa SRXVc vzLa jgBfc WXDas CiUCW kqbG zrdEG txGfn ygKVe BbezD UOtxr CVfpq xijV soGRS XgdC sEIlf daWqJ ">Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images, FILE</span></div></div></figcaption></figure></div></div>

<em>This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.</em>

The swap was happening Thursday. {ai:summary}<p>In a twist worthy of a crime novel, Russia and the U.S. have struck an unusual deal to swap prisoners, allowing two wrongfully detained Americans, a journalist and a Marine, to return home. The game of international chess takes a surprising turn. </p><p>The shadows of espionage linger as the clock ticks on this developing story. #foreignaffairs</p>

Russia agrees to free Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in multi-country prisoner swap

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