Watch Live: Biden announces prisoner swap freeing Americans held in Russia

Washington — President Biden is addressing the federation Thursday aft securing the release of American citizens imprisoned successful Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Marine veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American vigor journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

The monolithic captive swap involves 24 prisoners being held successful six countries, according to elder medication officials, who described it arsenic the astir analyzable speech successful U.S. and Russian history. The swap took spot successful Ankara, Turkey. 

The president is scheduled to talk from the White House astatine noon. He confirmed the woody successful a written connection up of his address.

Whelan and Gershkovich person been imprisoned successful Russia connected accusations of espionage that were rejected by the United States. Kurmasheva, a dual American and Russian citizen, was detained successful Russia successful June 2023 connected charges of spreading mendacious accusation astir the Russian army. 

Russia sentenced Gershkovich past period to 16 years successful prison, aft proceedings that were wholly closed to the public. Whelan was besides sentenced to 16 years successful 2020, 2 years aft helium was arrested. Russia provided nary nationalist impervious that either was progressive successful espionage. 

News of their expected instrumentality to the U.S. comes aft years of pleading from their families and advocacy groups, arsenic good arsenic extended negotiations by the Biden administration. 

"Journalism is intelligibly not a crime," the president said successful April astatine the White House Correspondents Dinner successful Washington, D.C. "Not here, not there, not anyplace successful the world. And Putin should merchandise Evan and Alsu instantly ... And I springiness you my connection arsenic a Biden, we're not going to springiness up until we get them home. All of them. All of them."

The captive swap statement volition apt spell down arsenic 1 of the astir important last achievements of the Biden administration, with little than six months to spell until the extremity of his presidency and vocation successful nationalist office. 

How to ticker President Biden talk connected captive swap

• What: President Biden addresses the nation 
• Date: Thursday, Aug. 1
• Time: Noon 
• Location: The White House 
• Online stream: Live connected CBS News successful the subordinate supra and connected your mobile oregon streaming device.

Weijia Jiang, Arden Farhi, Olivia Gazis, Pat Milton and Camilla Schick contributed reporting.

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