Welcome to the news hour. The waiting, the worrying, and the dreadful

wondering are over tonight for three Americans who were jailed in Russia and

their families. Journalists Evan Gerskovic, Alsu Kermacheva, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan

are heading home tonight after an extraordinary deal struck among the U.S. its allies and the

Russian government.

A fourth person, a US green card holder,

Vladimir Karamuza, was also released.

Nick Schifran starts our coverage.

In 80 years of US Russia and US Soviet spy swaps today's was the most complex.

Two dozen people on one Ankara Turkey tarmac, Russian dissidents, convicted Russian spies, and detained Americans who will be coming

home and spoke to their family members in the Oval Office on a day President Biden called

historic diplomacy.

This is an incredible relief. President Biden called historic diplomacy.

This is an incredible relief for all the family members gathered here.

It's relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country

who've been praying for this day for a long time.

Among those released 32 year old Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gerskovich, the first journalist

since the Cold War sentenced in a Russian court for spying.

I got a medical condition that prohibits this.

Former American Marine, Paul Wheelen, detained by Russia six years ago.

Russian American Radio Free, Radio Liberty correspondent Alsu Kermacheva, sentenced

to six and a half years for spreading false information.

...