Americans freed in Russia fly to Texas, joined by family members

(2 Aug 2024) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: POOL Lackland Air Force Base, Texas - 2 August 2024 1. Various of freed prisoners Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva standing with family members for big group photo STORYLINE: Three newly freed Americans are back on U.S. soil after a landmark prisoner exchange with Russia. Journalist Evan Gershkovich, corporate security executive Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, a journalist with dual citizenship, were flown from Maryland to Texas early Friday. They arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly before midnight Thursday for a joyful reunion with their families. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also there to greet them. The three Americans were part of the biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history. Officials say the multinational deal officials has set two dozen people free. The trade follows years of back-channel ne