Why Putin thinks he’s the winner in Russia’s prisoner swap with the West
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmj2jlgr65do
by newzee1
Why Putin thinks he’s the winner in Russia’s prisoner swap with the West
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmj2jlgr65do
by newzee1
38 comments
What even is this article, US traded away 10 people and got 16 back. Both sides’ presidents’ greeted their spies at the airport. But of course the west must paint this as the US trading Russian spies for law abiding citizens who got wrongfully and unlawfully imprisoned by the corrupt Putin regime.
If Putin is the winner here maybe the US sucks at diplomacy.
Because russian criminals basically avoided punishment and were swapped for unjustly convicted citizens.
Because he is, objectively. He got back essential assets for himself, which he will use in full, no worries.
Russia traded spies for agents of influence. First thing those liberated “russian oppositioners” did is called for lifting sanctions.
How does the author know what Putin thinks? Why does it even matter what Putin thinks? The swap was made by both sides, and both sides should be satisfied with the deal or they shouldn’t go through with it. Simple as that.
He got a hacker and a state assassin and a spy. What exactly did the west get except for showing russia that taking political prisoners is worth it for them? I can promise you that the only thing gained from this is that russia has confirmation that political prisoners will be swapped for high value assets and the west will pretend it’s a victory (it’s not).
The win for Putin is in further smearing his nation in the act of “screwing the West”.
Right now he’s a winner. But if the deal helps Harris win even a tiny bit of votes in the swing states…
Because he is; he got his spies/hitmen back ( “don’t worry, be loyal, keep your mouths shut and the tsar will get you out” ) and in exchange he sent “liberal/democrats”™ to the West ( that have in less than 24h already called for the lifting of sanctions on russia; they didn’t even mention Ukraine ).
Very successful intelligence op by the ru side. This is their strength after all.
I think it comes down to a stronger attitude of “no man left behind” from the US government than possibly exists in other countries. While everyone keeps saying “we shouldn’t negotiate with terrorists”, unfortunately those situations usually have to be resolved with force/special hostage rescue. When it’s a state actor like Russian, that’s simply not an option. So the only option is to make a trade or let a US citizen rot in a Russian jail after that citizen has been determined by the US to be illegally detained. The “illegally detained” status puts a lot of legal things in motion and obligates the government to work towards returning the person home.
https://www.state.gov/u-s-government-response-to-wrongful-detention/
Also. The legal terms of the trade were that the Russians convicted of crimes had to continue to serve out their sentences in Russian custody. So of course no one believes that’s going to happen, but legally those people are still criminals in the west.
Because he is the winner. Western governments have once again proven that the Russian government is free to send criminals into our countries, because if they get busted Russia will just arrest a random journalist and then force a prisoner swap.
Terrible deal it was. Anybody from the West travelling to Russia after 2022 had it coming if they got detained: people were warned about travelling to Russia before the war and they were warned about it after it began. This legitimizes Russian hostage-taking and forces the West to bail out our stupid citizens for convicted Russian criminals.
There’s a possibility that somebody out of the bunch is an actual Western spy and we owe it to them to get them out, but we should signal to ordinary citizens that we won’t be able to bail them out.
There was no alternative. Putin would’ve just continued taking innocent hostages specifically for that purpose. That’s what he’s been doing.
This deal is far more favourable to the west than trading an arms dealer for a weed smoker.
Because he got his operatives, and you have got a journalist, ex marine, trojan horses 🫂
Sadly, he is winner. Some worthless russian, which moans want go back were exchanged to killers and spies. Westerns got naive ideas who are so called opposition and anti coruption fighters there. They are same imperialists as most out there. Like dozd radio or belarus liberals. Do not take them as any oposition to putin regime, they are not. Secondly, this exchange shows, that putin will take care about own killers and spies, so go west and do job. You will be save. That was the message.
‘Well he kind of is. Also the US are now sponsoring two overseas wars. Ukraine and Israel. so I think its easy to say that Putin will win the war in ukraine.
And ppl can downvote me, tell me its miss information and everything, and thats fine.. But all I ask is that if you do want to label me as miss information, then atleast be willing to apologise when russia wins the war
And Scholz is the max looser..
Because we are democracies and we care for human lives. And with russia it has been like this for a long time. It’s probably time to check the tollerance paradox and be more ruthless towards russia and people who want to move there.
He got busted spies out and agents of influence in
Imho two words. Pavel rubtsov/ pablo González. Spanish russian journalist that was in a polish prison unoficially acussed of being a russian Spy. For whatever reasons the spanish goberment dos absolutely nothing for him unless setting visits for his wife and his kids. But poland kept him imprisoned without any trial in sight and prolonging his imprisonment in an un justified maner. I highly doubt he is an spy because his two passports and two identities were absolutely known for those around him and the story of how he has his two passports and his two identities is also widely known and easily comfirmed by his parents, his wife and his Friends.
Getting the release of this journalist alongside the protection of american Edward anowden can grant Putin a good propaganda point for russia being the protector of freedom of speach while “the evil west” inprisons journalist for being unconfortable for the regime.
Also we have to take into account that Pablo’s atrorney is Gonzalo boye, the same atrorney that defended Edward Snowden so pablo’s freedom related to propaganda about the evil west inprisoning journalist is there.
TLDR. Anyway, of course Poo is winner: the exchange is _useful_ for him, and _useless_ for the other party.
With this exchange he encourages all others spies and assassins to continue, and intimidates all his opponents in emigration and humiliates Western politicians.
The West, contrary, surrendered to the terrorist’s demands, and received a bunch of impotent fools.
If you travel to russia you are an idiot.
His strategy of taking foreign citizen hostage to exchange for his murderers and spies paid off again, that’s why he won, and it means it will happen again.
If we are talking in geological terms. Yeah.
He is. He got a hitman who will kill again.
Some of the freed westerners are probably intelligence assets, which is fair to exchange I guess. But as much as I respect Russian opposition politicians I don’t think they should be exchanged for Russian operatives, especially not for those who have murdered in our countries, as that just offers credibility to the idea that Russian opposition are all western assets rather than genuine, which is both ridiculous and very damaging. Especially the Russian assassin should not have been returned.
Honestly I dont care about “democracy rights” people from Russia. Russia is the enemy fuck em.
Coz he received another free blowjob from the West.
Because he is and because it shows how hypocritical the West is when any murderer will be set free so long as the US asks. Not unexpected, but still disappointed, particularly in Germany.
Can’t believe how our western media is portraying navalny, he was just a crook just as much as putin is . Crazy how Germany wanted a deal around navalny
Well, he is. The west negotiated with a terrorist to let criminals go free. Once more showing him he can arrest western people on shitty charges and get actual criminals free…
Well at least Putin is winning something…
He isn’t, Kara Murza is going to be a loud well spoken critic
Of course putler thinks so. He can continue to imprison people who disagree with his policies, and then exchange them for his thieves, murderers and spies. And he will continue to send them, because he understands that he will remain unpunished.
16 legit Russian criminals for 8 civilians who went to Russia willingly. Yes he is the winner and and most likely got everything he wanted for the trade. This is why I do not get why people say biden did God tier negotiations how?
Of course Putin thinks he is the winner he has Steven Seagal still
Well, in a sense Putin is the winner. He put charges up against people which were mostly invented, spurious or at best politically motivated. These were the mostly innocent people the West cared about. The people that the West returned were at best spies, assassins and criminals.