🇷🇺 🇺🇸 Towards the end of last year, Western media suddenly started paying attention to the case of American journalist Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for three years on charges of espionage. Unfortunately, it seems that the situation with him is at a standstill and there are minimal chances of a resolution in the near future.

Whelan was detained in Moscow at the end of 2018 after being accused of collecting classified information and attempting to recruit law enforcement officers on behalf of American intelligence services. Despite receiving a 16-year prison sentence in 2020, there hasn't been much progress in the exchange process.

❓ Why aren't the American authorities accepting exchange proposals from the Russian side?

In Russia, Whelan was caught in the act and his case received significant media attention, making him a well-known figure. On the other hand, the Americans don't have anyone as popular in the public eye, so in exchange for Whelan, they would likely have to hand over a valuable prisoner (or even more than one) who is relatively unknown to the general public.

It's unlikely that anyone would try to exploit this story before the elections either, as they would need to provide convincing answers to uncomfortable questions such as where they were before and why they are acting now.

📌 It's possible that Whelan's fate will be decided after the elections, if the winner wants to start their presidential term with a high-profile event like a journalist exchange. However, this will depend on many factors, so for now, we will continue to observe as American officials deliberately ignore the elephant in the room.
#Russia #USA
@rybar in association with @TheIslanderNews

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The militant appears to be using a 7.62x51mm #NATO M24 SWS (Sniper Weapon System) which was originally supplied by #USA 🇺🇸 to #Afghanistan 🇦🇫.

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https://twitter.com/war_noir/status/1770415974665113872

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https://twitter.com/war_noir/status/1773774394277425415