Vladimir Kara-Murza

Vladimir Putin must lose the war and be “humiliated” in Ukraine, as the end of his reign is the only solution for peace, said Vladimir Kara-Murza, one of the most prominent critics of the Russian president, who was recently released in a prisoner exchange.

Yulia Navalnay, the wife of Alexei Navalny, expressed both joy and bitterness over the Cold War-style prisoner swap that freed prominent Russian dissidents last week.

U.S. President Joe Biden walking across the tarmac after greeting reporter Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva and Paul Whelan at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., following their release as part of a 24-person prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.

The prisoner exchange between Russia and the West, which took place on Thursday in Istanbul, resembled moments from the Cold War, complete with the dramatic setting of an isolated airport area.

From Russia, 16 people were released: four to the U.S. and 12 to Germany, one of whom was Belarusian.

Russia is set to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US Marine Paul Whelan in a major prisoner swap with the US, as reported by anonymous sources to Bloomberg. This exchange is expected to be the largest since the Cold War.

During a discussion held in the European Parliament, participants highlighted the alarming rise of political prisoners in Russia, surpassing even the numbers seen during the Soviet era. Bill Browder, leader of the "Magnitsky" act campaign, attributed the assassination of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov to his involvement in the campaign.

In a diplomatic showdown following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Bulgaria summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Eleonora Mitrofanova, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Renowned investigative journalist Christo Grozev, known for his work with Bellingcat, has launched an inquiry into the untimely demise of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Grozev, in an interview with Meduza, expressed skepticism regarding the Russian authorities' stance on Navalny's death.

Day 418 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Russian police on March 13 arrested around 200 opposition politicians and municipal deputies at a Moscow conference as authorities tighten the screws on Kremlin critics ahead of parliamentary elections.