Prisoner exchange between Russia and the West: two of those released want to return to Russia.

Russian opposition figures Andrei Pivovarov and Ilya Yashin, who were released from prisons in Russia as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow, are considering their return to Russia. They discussed this in an interview with Reuters.

«As people who were essentially deported, expelled from the country, we all have a strong desire to return. I definitely want to be in Russia. I am a Russian politician, and that is very important to me. It is clear that they (the Russian authorities, - ed.) will not allow us to return, although we wish to», Pivovarov explained.

Ilya Yashin agrees with him and notes that he wants to return to the aggressor country Russia.

«I sincerely feel pain due to my exile from Russia, despite all the gratitude I feel towards those who wished me well and saved me. But I sincerely say that my place is in Russia. I have dedicated my life to my country. It is very difficult for me emotionally because I understand that my release came at the expense of releasing a murderer, a person who committed a bloody crime», said Yashin.

According to publications, the Kremlin agreed to the exchange only if the West would release Vadim Krasikov from a German prison, who was convicted in 2019 for the murder of a former Chechen field commander in Berlin.

«I have repeatedly said that I do not want to be on the exchange list. Kremlin representatives happily included my name because, for them, my exchange essentially means expulsion», added Yashin.

It should be noted that on August 1, a large-scale prisoner exchange occurred between Russia, the United States, and Germany. Twenty-four people participated. The Russian side handed over 16 people to the American side, and the American side handed over 8 people to Russia, all of whom are Russian citizens.

Notably, U.S. President Joe Biden, after the exchange of political prisoners with Russia, called on Russian President-dictator Vladimir Putin to «stop».

Meanwhile, U.S. presidential candidate from the Republican Party, Donald Trump, criticized the prisoner exchange agreement between Russia and the West. In Trump's opinion, the prisoner exchange was a «victory for Putin or any other country that deals with us».