Biden welcomes prisoner swap with Russia and declares their ‘brutal ordeal’ over

US President Joe Biden was flanked by family members of four of those who have been released as he addressed the nation (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Joe Biden said the “brutal ordeal” of US citizens held in Russia is over after the biggest prisoner swap with the country in post-Soviet history.

Among those released by Moscow include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive with joint Irish nationality from Michigan and Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has joint Russian and British nationality.