Prisoner exchanges between Russia and the West have a long history, with notable swaps dating back to the Cold War era. Some recent exchanges include US basketball player Brittney Griner and ex-Marine Trevor Reed. In December 2022, Griner was freed in Abu Dhabi in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. In April 2022, Reed was released in Turkey in a swap with Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. One of the most significant exchanges took place in July 2010 in Vienna, involving 10 Russian agents deported by the US.
Before the end of the Cold War, spy swaps were common, often taking place on the Glienicke Bridge between West Berlin and Soviet-controlled Potsdam. Notable swaps include Soviet spy Rudolf Abel and American pilot Gary Powers in 1962. The most dramatic exchange on the bridge occurred in 1986 when Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky was exchanged for Czech spies and others held in the US and West Germany.
These exchanges represent the complex and often secretive negotiations between nations in times of conflict. They highlight the human cost of espionage and political tensions.\
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