Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich might be among 20 to 30 political prisoners and journalists held by Russia that will be part of an imminent exchange with the U.S. and Germany, The Moscow Times reported Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the planning.
Slovenian TV channel N1 also reported Wednesday afternoon that a major prisoner exchange between Russia, the U.S., Germany, and Belarus could take place "in the coming hours" that also would include Gershkovich. The channel did not disclose its sources but called them reliable.
If confirmed, it would be the largest prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia since the end of the Cold War.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about a possible prisoner exchange during Wednesday's briefing.
"I just can't get into specifics here," she said. "You have to understand what we're trying to do on behalf of Americans detained, the president is committed, and he will continue to do everything he can to get Americans home to their loved ones. … I'm not going to get into specifics. I'm not going to get into details. I can't confirm anything from here."
Gershkovich is serving a 16-year prison sentence in Russia after being convicted July 19 on espionage charges. Russia never provided evidence of his alleged espionage, only announcing that he was caught at work. The Biden administration and the Journal have repeatedly claimed that Gershkovich was unjustly detained and that he was only doing journalistic work in Russia.
Previous reporting by independent Russian media suggested that up to 10 high-profile political prisoners were being readied for the rumored exchange, the Times reported.
A number of Russian dissidents and people convicted for their opposition to Moscow's war in Ukraine reportedly have disappeared from Russian prisons in recent days in what rights activists said is a possible sign that a prisoner swap with the West might be close.
N1 stated that two Russians convicted in Slovenia in an espionage case, Artem Dultsev and Anna Dultseva, will be returned to Russia as "part of a larger exchange."
N1 also reported that Vadim Krasikov, a high-ranking colonel in the Russian secret service FSB who is serving a life sentence in a German jail for the 2019 assassination of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, an opponent of the Russian regime, could be part of the exchange.
Krasikov could be exchanged for German Rico Krieger, who was sentenced to death on terrorism charges in mid-June but pardoned Tuesday by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, according to N1.
Meanwhile, data on Russians Alexander Vinnik, Maxim Marchenko, Vadim Konoshchenko, Vladislav Klyushin, Roman Seleznev, and Vladimir Dunayev have disappeared from the U.S. prison database, N1 reported.
The channel reported that Vinnik's attorney told Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti that he cannot comment on speculation about a prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. "until it happens."
The Moscow Times and N1 reported other prisoners that could be part of the deal include people linked to Alexei Navalny, the political opponent of Vladimir Putin who was found dead in a Russian prison camp in February.
Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for Putin, when asked by N1 about the exchange, said, "We do not comment on this topic."
German and Belarusian authorities also did not comment to N1.
Russia last exchanged prisoners with the U.S. in December 2022 when it freed women's basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, who had been held in a U.S. prison for 12 years.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.