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<p>The Kremlin on Friday (Aug 2) said that Vadim Krasikov, freed by Germany in&nbsp;Thursday's prisoner swap deal with the West, is an operative with Russia's FSB security service. Addressing a press conference,&nbsp;Kremlin spokesperson&nbsp;Dmitry Peskov said, "Krasikov is an FSB employee." Peskov added that Krasikov served with FSB's elite&nbsp;and secretive Alpha unit.</p>

<p>Krasikov "served with some of the people working in the president's security detail," Peskov further told reporters. According to a report by the news agency AFP, an investigation by investigative journalism group&nbsp;Bellingcat revealed that&nbsp;Krasikov had links to the FSB.</p>

<p>However, Friday's admission (by the Kremlin) was the first time Moscow has publicly confirmed he was an FSB agent.</p>

<h2><strong>A life sentence in Germany</strong></h2>

<p>Krasikov was serving a life sentence in Germany for the murder of a Chechen rebel commander in a Berlin park in 2019 — an assassination that German judges said was ordered by the Russian state.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-harris-to-welcome-freed-americans-arriving-from-russia-746431">Freed Americans return home following historic prisoner swap; Biden, Harris greet them at airport</a></strong></p>

<p>The rebel commander was identified as&nbsp;Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, who had&nbsp;taken up arms against the Russian state in the early 1990s but since forsworn the armed Chechen independence struggle.</p>

<p>On Thursday (Aug 1), Krasikov&nbsp;and nine other Russians were&nbsp;freed in the historic prisoner exchange that saw Moscow release American&nbsp;citizens including&nbsp;Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva, along with a host of Russian dissidents and activists.</p>

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin&nbsp;hailed the return of the Russian prisoners by saying the motherland never forgot about them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Germany played a key role&nbsp;in Thursday's prisoner swap between Moscow and the West.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Relatives of Krasikov's victim&nbsp;slam his release</strong></h2>

<p>Relatives of&nbsp;Khangoshvili&nbsp;voiced disappointment&nbsp;in Krasikov's release from prison. In a statement released by their lawyer, the Chechen rebel commander's relatives said, "On one hand we are glad that lives have been saved.&nbsp;But we are very disappointed that there are apparently no laws even in countries that put the rule of law on a pedestal."</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;26 prisoners released in landmark exchange at Ankara airport</strong></p>

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<p>Earlier, German&nbsp;Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the decision had been difficult but necessary to save lives, a view echoed by Justice Minister Marco Buschman.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Kremlin on Friday (Aug 2) said that Vadim Krasikov, freed by Germany in Thursday's prisoner swap deal with the West, is an operative with Russia's FSB security service.

The Kremlin on Friday (Aug 2) said that Vadim Krasikov, freed by Germany in Thursday's prisoner swap deal with the West, is an operative with Russia's FSB security service. Addressing a press conference, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, "Krasikov is an FSB employee." Peskov added that Krasikov served with FSB's elite and secretive Alpha unit. Krasikov "served with some of the people working in the president's security detail," Peskov further told reporters. According to a report by the news agency AFP, an investigation by investigative journalism group Bellingcat revealed that Krasikov had links to the FSB. However, Friday's admission (by the Kremlin) was the first time Moscow has publicly confirmed he was an FSB agent. A life sentence in Germany Krasikov was serving a life sentence in Germany for the murder of a Chechen rebel commander in a Berlin park in 2019 — an assassination that German judges said was ordered by the Russian state. Also read | Freed Americans return home following historic prisoner swap; Biden, Harris greet them at airport The rebel commander was identified as Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, who had taken up arms against the Russian state in the early 1990s but since forsworn the armed Chechen independence struggle. On Thursday (Aug 1), Krasikov and nine other Russians were freed in the historic prisoner exchange that saw Moscow release American citizens including Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva, along with a host of Russian dissidents and activists. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the return of the Russian prisoners by saying the motherland never forgot about them. Germany played a key role in Thursday's prisoner swap between Moscow and the West. Relatives of Krasikov's victim slam his release Relatives of Khangoshvili voiced disappointment in Krasikov's release from prison. In a statement released by their lawyer, the Chechen rebel commander's relatives said, "On one hand we are glad that lives have been saved. But we are very disappointed that there are apparently no laws even in countries that put the rule of law on a pedestal." Also watch | 26 prisoners released in landmark exchange at Ankara airport × Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the decision had been difficult but necessary to save lives, a view echoed by Justice Minister Marco Buschman. (With inputs from agencies)

East-West prisoner swap: Kremlin says Vadim Krasikov, freed by Germany, is FSB operative

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East-West prisoner swap: Kremlin says Vadim Krasikov, freed by Germany, is FSB operative