Additional Coverage:
- Alsu Kurmasheva’s family still in ‘disbelief’ she’s free in Russian prisoner exchange (newsbreak.com)
The family of Alsu Kurmasheva is still in shock after receiving an invitation to the White House and hearing about her freedom as part of the landmark exchange involving 24 prisoners between the United States, Russia, and other nations.
In an interview with ABC News Live, Kurmasheva’s husband, Pavel Butorin, expressed his disbelief, sharing that he’ll only believe it when he finally gets to embrace his wife. “I’m still in disbelief.
I think I’ll believe it when I actually see Alsu…when we are able to hug her. It’s been an unreal day,” Butorin remarked.
Kurmasheva arrived back in the United States at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening. She was welcomed by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, followed by emotional reunions with her husband and their two daughters.
Among the joyful moments, Kurmasheva’s oldest daughter, Bibi Butorin, mentioned that her sister’s 13th birthday was the next day, and their mother’s return was the “best birthday present ever.”
Kurmasheva, a Russian-American journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, who had been living in Prague for over two decades, was convicted last month by a Russian court. She was accused of disseminating false information about the Russian military and was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. Her sentencing occurred on the same day that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years for espionage; he too was released in the recent prisoner swap.
Before her return to the U.S., Kurmasheva and her family had a phone conversation from the White House. Her daughter, Bibi, told ABC News Live that her mother was in good spirits and eager to return home.
“She’s in good spirits, and she’s so happy to be coming home to us,” Bibi shared. The family experienced this special moment alongside the President.
Commenting further, Bibi described the challenging months without her mother, “I think for me, definitely, it was very discouraging not having my mom with me, especially for so many months. I missed her.
I still miss her more than I can even say. And so I’m so grateful and happy that she gets to come back to me,” she said.
Kurmasheva had initially traveled to Russia in May 2023 to assist her mother and faced difficulties when trying to leave the country, leading to her detention. Authorities confiscated both her U.S. and Russian passports, and she faced several charges leading to her arrest. A fine for not registering her U.S. passport and failure to declare herself a “foreign agent” were among the initial accusations by Russian authorities.
Upon her return, Vice President Kamala Harris highlighted the persistent diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Americans wrongfully detained abroad. “Over many years, President Biden and I, and our team have engaged in complex diplomatic negotiations to bring these wrongfully detained Americans home,” Harris stated. “We never stopped fighting for their release, and today, in spite of all their suffering, it gives me great comfort to know that their horrible ordeal is finally over.”