As part of the prisoner swap, Russia released journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsa Kurmasheva, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza.
U.S. President Joe Biden personally announced the successful prisoner exchange:
"I am grateful to our allies who stood with us during the difficult and challenging negotiations to reach this result, including Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway, and Turkey."
In total, Russia exchanged 16 prisoners for 8 people held in the United States, Germany, Norway, Slovenia, and Poland.
"Today's exchange will be historic, not since the Cold War have so many people been exchanged in this way..." said Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor.
U.S. President Joe Biden held a briefing at the White House with family members of the wrongfully imprisoned Americans.
"The Russian authorities arrested them, convicted them in sham trials, and sent them to prison for long periods of time without any legal basis. None at all," Biden said.
The exchange took place after months of secret and complex negotiations between Moscow and Washington, in which President Biden personally participated.