Whelan expressed disappointment with US efforts to free him

Paul Whelan, an American convicted of espionage in Russia, said he was surprised that he was not included in the list of prisoner exchanges between Russia and the United States. This decision of the American authorities disappointed him, declared Whelan in a telephone conversation with CNN.

“I am very disappointed that more has not been done for my release, especially as the fourth anniversary of my arrest approaches,” he said.

Whelan added that he did not understand why he was still in a Russian colony. According to him, the American authorities gave him hope that “everything is going as it should” and that “something will happen very soon.” Whelan admitted that he was surprised when he found out that he did not get into the exchange scheme.

The American claims that the Russian authorities classify him “in a different category”, “to a higher level” than basketball player Brittney Griner. According to Whelan, Moscow is trying to get something from the United States that Washington “may not be able to provide.”

Whelan also expressed hope that US President Joe Biden will make every effort to bring him home, “regardless of the cost that they [США]may have to pay.”

In August, it became known that Washington offered Moscow to exchange the Russian Viktor Bout for the Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. December 8 at Abu Dhabi Airport took place the exchange of Greiner for Bout, the information was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Before the exchange Greiner and Booth were pardonedthey will not have to serve their sentences in their own countries.

However, Paul Whelan was not included in the exchange scheme. How claims Biden, this was due to the fact that Moscow treats Whelan “differently than Greiner.” The American leader stressed that Washington had not forgotten about the convict. According to him, the United States will continue negotiations with Russia on the release of Whelan.

Paul Whelan was detained in Moscow at the end of 2018 on suspicion of espionage. The defense argued that the American was the victim of a provocation. Whelan himself pleaded not guilty. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence in a strict regime colony in Mordovia.

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