See the faces of evil the West is sending back to Russia in the biggest prisoner swap since the COLD WAR

A hitman, an personality thief and a money launderer are among 8 prisoners released by nan US arsenic portion of a historical captive switch pinch Moscow.

The convicts were fto spell successful speech for nan merchandise of 16 prisoners from Russia, including Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich and erstwhile US marine Paul Whelan.

The speech of 26 inmates is nan biggest captive switch by Russia pinch nan West since nan extremity of nan Cold War.

The waste and acquisition involves 7 countries and sewage underway connected nan runway astatine Esenboga Airport successful Ankara, Turkey connected Thursday.

Among those connected nan level was assassin Vadim Krasikov, nan alleged bicycle killer, who was serving a life condemnation successful Germany for murder.

Krasikov was convicted of  gunning down Zelimkhan 'Tornike' Khangoshvili, 40, successful wide daylight successful a cardinal Berlin parkland successful June 2019.

He rode up to nan Georgia-born Chechen separatist connected a bicycle and executed him successful Berlin's Kleine Tiergarten parkland successful December 2021. 

A German tribunal called it a 'state-contracted killing' connected behalf of nan Kremlin.

Russian media outlet The Insider has besides published nan names of nan 7 others released backmost to Russia.

They see cyber criminals Roman Seleznev and Vladislav Klyushin who are being returned from nan US, according to nan outlet.

Seleznev was sentenced to 14 years successful situation for his domiciled successful a $50 cardinal cyber fraud ringing and for defrauding banks of $9 cardinal done a hacking scheme.

Russian businessman Klyushin was convicted for involvement successful an elaborate hack-to-trade strategy that netted astir $93 cardinal done securities trades, based connected confidential firm accusation stolen from U.S. machine networks. 

Vadim Konoshchenko, who was accused of providing US-made physics and ammunition to nan Russian military, is reportedly nan last captive to beryllium released from nan US, according to nan reports.

Spanish-Russian journalist Pavel Rubtsov who is accused of being a spy,  was released from Poland, per The Insider.

Married mates Artem and Anna Dultsev were returned to Russia from Slovenia, wherever they were convicted of espionage charges.

The mates had been surviving nether nan assumed names of María Rosa Mayer Muños and Ludwig Gisch and were sentenced to 19 months successful jail.

Mikhail Mikushin, an world who entered Norway arsenic a Brazilian citizen, has besides been released. He was arrested connected suspicion of spying successful 2022. 

The convicts were released successful speech for 16 Western prisoners, including 3 US citizens.

Wall Street Journal newsman Evan Gershkovich will beryllium released imminently pursuing almost 500 days successful detention.

Gershkovich, 32, was arrested successful March 2023 on espionage charges that nan United States says are illegitimate. He was sentenced to 16 years successful situation successful July.

Former US marine Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned successful Russia since 2018, is besides portion of nan trade. 

Whelan, 54, was sentenced to 16 years successful jailhouse successful 2020 connected spying charges. The US has denied he was ever progressive successful espionage operations. 

Russian-American power journalist Alsu Kurmashevas was nan last US national to beryllium released by Russia.