In 2022, when Brittney Griner was released from Russia, many were wondering how it came so relatively quickly when U.S. Marine Veteran Paul Whelan remained locked up. However, President Joe Biden assured America as great as Griner’s return was, his administration had not forgotten about Whelan. On August 1, 2024, Paul Whelan is finally being released in a prisoner swap after more than five years of imprisonment.
Paul Whelan Is No Longer a Prisoner
After almost six years in captivity, Paul Whelan is being freed for charges of being an American spy from the Kremlin while working in the country.
Whelan was serving a sentence of 16 years hard labor, despite repeated denials of the claim that Whelan was a spy by the U.S. government.
It took a three nation trade to make his return a reality that also included Germany, assistance from Turkey, and a total of 24 prisoners were exchanged after lengthy negotiations.
The prisoner swap went down the Esenboğa Airport in Ankara, Turkey, which will also see American journalists Evan Gershkovich (Wall Street Journal) and Alsu Kurmasheva were also returned.
Trevor Reed, a former Marine from Texas, was freed from Russia in a prisoner swap in April 2022, but the exchange was unable to see Whelan also find his way home.
Many were critical of the government for not doing more to bring Whelan back to the states, especially now that others have had success.
Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed were always going to have a connection. From the military service in the same branch to the arrest for use in an exchange by Russia, the parallels were simple.
Griner’s exchange didn’t have the same parallels, but it did evolve the conversation as she was not a Veteran.
Who Is Paul Whelan?
Paul Whelan is a Veteran who served in the USMC with a somewhat complicated past and an uncertain future. Following his military career, Whelan would move on to work in the security sector, which is exactly how he found himself arrested by the Kremlin.
Acting as Director of Global Security and Investigations for BorgWarner, Whelan was detained by authorities because they believed him to be a spy.
There are a couple of reasons for these charges, but the United States didn’t receive evidence connecting Whelan to the charges. Despite this, Whelan remained in prison.
Paul Whelan was not treated fairly by authorities, as his case was taken more seriously because he was believed to be a detriment to national security.
On the other hand, the U.S. believed that despite the attention other prisoners brought to such issues, Whelan is thought to be a pawn in a political chess match between two rival nations.
While Whelan expressed disappointment more hadn’t been done for his release, he can rest easier now that this incident is behind him.
Why Was Whelan in Prison?
The Kremlin claimed that Paul Whelan was conducting espionage as a spy for America. However, here are some of the critical details surrounding the case:
- The Kremlin’s Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested Whelan after his twin arrived in Moscow on December 22, 2018, using a U.S. passport.
- Less than a week later, Paul Whelan was arrested at his hotel.
- During a time away from the hotel, he was given a USB drive believed to have classified information.
It’s worth noting that beyond his service with the U.S. military and work as a security professional, Whelan is also a citizen of multiple countries, including the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Britain.
His charges came while he was in Moscow providing security services.
Tensions between the Kremlin and The Pentagon only grew more complicated and as a result, made bringing Paul Whelan home that much more complex.
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