'Here you are at home': President Putin welcomes Russians freed after high-profile prisoner swap (WATCH)

President Vladimir Putin welcomed Russian citizens who were detained abroad and returned to Russia following a high-profile prisoner exchange deal on Thursday night. The meeting took place at Vnukovo Airport, where Putin congratulated the returnees and announced that they would be nominated for state awards.

Addressing the returning individuals, Putin expressed his gratitude for their loyalty and service.

“First of all, I want to congratulate you all on your return to your homeland. Now I want to address those of you who are directly involved in military service. I want to thank you for your loyalty to the oath, your duty, and the homeland, which has never forgotten you for a minute – and here you are at home,” Putin said.

The event was attended by key figures including Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, and Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov.

The prisoner swap, mediated by Turkey, involved seven countries: the US, Norway, Germany, Poland, Russia, Belarus, and Slovenia.

Among the notable figures released was Vadim Krasikov, a Russian who was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a former Chechen separatist leader.

The release of Krasikov was controversial, with German authorities initially reluctant to agree to his release. Reports indicate that US President Joe Biden personally intervened, contacting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to facilitate the deal.

• 2019 Berlin murder
• Defence Minister Andrei Belousov
• Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov
• Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin
• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
• Joe Biden
• Russian citizens
• Turkey mediation
• US involvement
• Vadim Krasikov
• Vladimir Putin
• Vnukovo Airport
• Zelimkhan Khangoshvili
• military service
• prisoner exchange
• state awards