Trevor Reed: US marine released in prisoner swap with Russia

In a prisoner swap, a former US marine who had been incarcerated in a Russian jail since 2019 has been released.

Trevor Reed is on his way back to the United States, according to US and Russian officials.

In exchange, Russia's foreign ministry obtained the release of Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian national who was imprisoned on drug trafficking allegations.

"Our prayers have been answered," the Reed family wrote.

The marine would tell his story after treating "the variety of health difficulties" brought on by being in a Russian prison, they said in a statement.

President Joe Biden said he was "delighted" to inform Mr. Reed's parents about his return.

"I heard in Trevor's parents' voices how concerned they were about his health and how much they missed his presence," he stated.

After being convicted of attacking two Russian cops on a drunken night out in Moscow, Mr... Reed was sentenced to nine years in jail in 2020.

He pled not guilty and appealed both his conviction and prison sentence, claiming he had no recall of the incident.

Concerns regarding the fairness of his trial were also expressed by the US administration. Mr. Reed "remains in prison for a crime he didn't commit," according to US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan.

According to the Reeds, their son was mistreated in prison and at one point contracted tuberculosis.