Putin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza recalls 'longest day of his life' after historic prisoner swap between Russia and West

Kara-Murza, who was poisoned twice in Russia, was among 10 Americans released in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has spoken out about his experience of being imprisoned in Russia and his eventual release in a historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West.

Kara-Murza's arrest and imprisonment

Kara-Murza was arrested in April 2022 on charges of "spreading false information" about the Russian military. He was accused of making statements about the war in Ukraine that were not in line with the official Russian narrative.

Kara-Murza denied the charges, and his supporters condemned his arrest as politically motivated. He was held in pre-trial detention for several months, during which time he was allegedly poisoned twice.

The prisoner swap

In December 2022, Kara-Murza was released as part of a prisoner swap between Russia and the West. The swap also included the release of nine other Americans, including basketball star Brittney Griner.

In exchange, Russia received the release of Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer who had been serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.

Kara-Murza's reaction to his release

Speaking to reporters after his release, Kara-Murza said that he was "overwhelmed" and "grateful" to be free.

He described the day of his release as "the longest day of his life" and said that he had been "waiting for this moment for a very long time".

Kara-Murza also said that he was "proud" of the other Americans who had been released with him, and he thanked the United States government for its efforts to secure their release.

Kara-Murza's future plans

Kara-Murza said that he plans to continue his work as a critic of the Russian government and to advocate for democracy and human rights in Russia.

He said that he believes that the prisoner swap is a sign that the West is willing to stand up to Russia and that he hopes it will lead to a change in the Russian government's behavior.

Conclusion

The release of Vladimir Kara-Murza and the other Americans who were imprisoned in Russia is a significant victory for the West and a testament to the power of diplomacy.

It is also a reminder of the importance of standing up to authoritarian regimes and defending the values of democracy and human rights.