Moscow, Washington swap convicts Reed, Yaroshenko - Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. April 27 (Interfax) - Russia and the United States have exchanged U.S. citizen Trevor Reed convicted in Russia for Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko convicted in the U.S., the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

"As a result of a lengthy negotiating process, U.S. citizen Trevor Rowdy Reed convicted earlier in the Russian Federation was exchanged on April 27, 2022 for Russian citizen Konstantin Yaroshenko, whom a U.S. court sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2010," the ministry said.

In his turn, Yaroshenko's lawyer Alexei Tarasov told Interfax that Yaroshenko was now on his way back to Russia.

The exchange was conducted in a third country, Tarasov said.

"The information that I have now indicates that he is heading back home. The exchange took place in a third country," Tarasov said.

Yaroshenko's wife Viktoria told the Ren-TV channel that the exchange took place in Turkey.

According to Reed's lawyer Sergei Nikitenkov, Reed did not initiate any pardon procedures and did not admit his guilt in the criminal case.

"The exchange itself is not related to any decision on pardon. [Reed's] position on pardon was not considered at all. This judicial procedure was not launched," Nikitenkov said. 

"He [Reed] agrees to the exchange itself and approves of it. At the same time, Trevor did not admit his guilt," the lawyer said.