US-Russian prisoner exchanges through the years: See the list

Staff at the Wall Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich's employer, react to news of their colleague having been released from a Russia prison after he was arrested and detained more than a year ago. (Credit: Vaughn Sterling/The Wall Street Journal)

Three American citizens and one American green-card holder were released from Russian custody on Thursday as part of a massive swap of political prisoners involving the United States and Russia.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and fellow American Alsu Kurmasheva were among those released as well as Vladimir Kara-Murza. The multinational exchange is the biggest U.S.-Russia prisoner swap since the Cold War.

President Joe Biden called the prisoner swap deal with Russia a "feat of diplomacy."

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There have been a number of other U.S.-Russia prisoner swaps over the years. Here's a look back at some of the other major prisoner exchanges and the details surrounding them. 

Prior to Aug. 1, 2024, the last major prisoner exchange took place on Dec. 8, 2022, when WNBA star Brittney Griner was swapped for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, the "Merchant of Death," as Fox News Digital reported at the time. 

Griner, who had been playing basketball in Russia during the off-season, was arrested by Russian authorities on Feb. 17, 2022, after less than a gram of hash oil was found in her luggage. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, left, was released from U.S. custody in exchange for WNBA star Brittney Griner, right, who had been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison after her