Russia and France have exchanged prisoners

TT

Updated 15.05 | Published 14.54

 

The French researcher Laurent Vinatier has reportedly been exchanged. Picture from a courtroom in Moscow in October 2024. Photo: Pavel Bednyakov/AP/TT

Russia has released a French researcher, reports the AFP news agency.

According to Russian state media, this is Laurent Vinatier, who works for a Swiss organization and was imprisoned for alleged espionage in Russia in 2024. He was sentenced in October 2024 to three years in a Russian penal colony.

In return, France has reportedly released a Russian basketball player. He was reportedly arrested in France last year, at the request of the United States, which suspects him of being part of a hacker network that has targeted American companies and federal institutions.

In December, Moscow was reported to have presented “a proposal” to Paris regarding Laurent Vinatier.