Happening now breaking news, freed Americans Evan Gerschkovich and Paul Whelan are on

their way back to the US after their lengthy imprisonment in Russia. They're released part of a historic prisoner swap between Moscow

and the West bigger than any exchange since the Cold War.

Vladimir Putin personally welcoming back Russians returned as part of the deal

including a roster of convicted and accused criminals from an assassin to spies.

We are breaking down every angle of the sweeping deal.

President Biden's role in it, and what happens next?

This hour I'll talk with the Principal Deputy National Security

Advisor John Finer, live.

Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world.

What Pulitzer is off today, I'm Pamela Brown, and you're in the situation room. This is CNN breaking news.

And let's get right to the major breaking story.

Americans deemed wrongfully held by Russia now on their way back to

US soil the result of a landmark prisoner exchange that has been years in the

making. CNN's Kayla Toushi is standing by at the White House, but first CNN's Matthew Chance has a full report on the deal and the 24 prisoners released on both sides.

This was their journey to freedom.

Heaven Gerschkovich sentenced the 16 years for espionage,

peering at the outside world from a prison bus,

for being walked to a waiting plane.

It's followed by Paul Wheelen, the former Marine also designated wrongfully detained by the US, and who spent

the past six years in a Russian prison.

They and 14 others are now free at last.

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