The inside story of the deal that freed US journalist Evan Gershkovich in historic prisoner swap... and how Putin critic Alexei Navalny could have been part of the exchange before his death in Russian prison, writes MARK NICOL

Even seasoned observers of geopolitics were taken by surprise.

But down nan scenes, months of nail-bitingly tense negotiations, adjacent misses and fraught civilized compromises had been playing retired successful nan run-up to nan largest East-West captive switch for decades.

Not since nan Cold War, erstwhile concealed agents and governmental prisoners would beryllium routinely exchanged connected Berlin’s Bridge of Spies, person truthful galore captives been traded.

The remarkably analyzable deal, which saw 24 inmates freed from prisons successful 7 countries, had antecedently collapsed and was successful uncertainty until conscionable earlier it was sealed. Among those released were 2 captives holding British citizenship, 8 Russian agents, 4 Americans, 5 Germans and 5 Russian anti-Putin activists.

In nan twilight hours of his presidency, embattled Joe Biden played nan pacifier arsenic Western officials bickered complete terms.

In particular, nan Germans were reluctant to merchandise Kremlin assassin Vadim Krasikov – who changeable dormant a Chechen exile successful Berlin 5 years agone – reportedly fearing immoderate switch would go ‘business model’ for Russia.

But successful hush-hush meetings connected nan fringes of different negotiated gatherings, President Biden yet convinced Chancellor Olaf Scholz to work together to it.

According to analysts, this was nan civilized discuss – and it could beryllium to person lasting implications. 

Because if Vladimir Putin was antecedently unsure astir whether he could retrieve weighted henchmen, he nary longer harbours immoderate doubts connected that score.

It was a backstairs deal, if ever location was one. Due to Russia’s forbidden penetration and business of Ukraine, East-West relations are astatine their worst for decades.

Yet arsenic this exchanged proved, spymasters successful London, Washington and Moscow are still talking to each other. 

Throughout nan negotiations, shadowy officials group up a typical transmission to talk nan various captive proposals.

Among nan detainees discussed was former US Marine Paul Whelan, a national of 4 countries, including Britain. 

He had been visiting Moscow to be a wedding successful December 2018 erstwhile he was arrested by balaclava-wearing Kremlin hoods who accused him of espionage.

Mr Whelan spent 2,043 days successful custody, singing nationalist anthems to raise his spirits and was known to joke that nan Russians thought they had arrested James Bond erstwhile really they had detained Mr Bean.

His ordeal yet ended astatine a 4th to midnight section clip erstwhile a level carrying him, Wall Street Journal analogous Evan Gershkovich and others landed at Andrews Air Force Base successful Maryland. 

Mr Whelan was nan first to beryllium greeted by Mr Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. He saluted earlier shaking their hands.

Months earlier it looked arsenic if nan woody had collapsed pursuing nan decease of Putin professional and governmental rival Alexei Navalny, who perished successful a Russian situation compartment successful February. 

Previously, Germany had been consenting to waste and acquisition Krasikov to unafraid Mr Navalny’s safety. But erstwhile he died, galore observers thought nan speech would expire pinch him.

Work to resuscitate nan woody began instantly aft his decease astatine nan Munich information convention – and continued moreover arsenic Mr Biden undertook his disastrous TV statement against Donald Trump.

On July 19, a Russian tribunal recovered Mr Gershkovich blameworthy of spying and sentenced him to 16 years successful a top-security detention centre. To nan extracurricular world, it had each nan appearances of a devastating rustle to nan journalist.

But those really successful nan cognize suspected otherwise. Prior to captive swaps, nan Moscow authorities traditionally condemnation to crushingly agelong situation position those they are really soon to release.

Mr Gershkovich and nan others received pardons yesterday arsenic they yet tasted freedom.