Diyar Güldoğan
11 February 2025•Update: 12 February 2025
WASHINGTON
American Marc Fogel, who was behind bars in Russia since 2021, has been freed, the White House announced Tuesday.
"President (Donald) Trump, (his special envoy) Steve Witkoff and the president’s advisors negotiated an exchange that serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine," said White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.
Witkoff was leaving Russian airspace with Fogel, Waltz said, adding Fogel was expected to be on American soil and reunited with his family by Tuesday evening.
Fogel, a schoolteacher, was serving a 14-year sentence in Russia on drug charges and was designated as "wrongfully detained" by the US in 2024.
Dmitry Ovsyannikov, Fogel’s lawyer, also confirmed his release in comments to the Russian state news agency TASS, saying Fogel would arrive in the US in about five hours.
"We do not yet know on what grounds he was released from prison -- by an act of pardon or in some other way," Ovsyannikov was quoted as saying.
Russian authorities have yet to confirm the developments.
Fogel arrived in the US late Tuesday, with the White House sharing a photo of him disembarking from the plane.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also released a statement late Tuesday hailing that Fogel was on his way to the US.
"Marc’s release is also a reminder that other American citizens are still detained in Russia. President Trump is committed to bringing all of them home," he added.
