Following a historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West, Veteran rights campaigner Oleg Orlov, recently released from a Russian penal colony, has confirmed that discussions among freed prisoners have touched on the possibility of future exchanges.
Speaking at his first press conference in Berlin on Wednesday, Orlov stated, "We had a conversation about the details among those who were exchanged, on the plane, when we were flying from Ankara to Germany," as per Reuters.
Orlov did not provide specifics, noting, "But I can't say anything more concrete for now because you understand that any talks about an exchange require confidentiality for a long time. I will only say that there are concrete ideas, I won't say anything more."
The swap, described as the largest of its kind since the Cold War, involved Russia retrieving eight prisoners, including an FSB member convicted of murder in Germany, while releasing 16 individuals from Russian and Belarusian jails.
Among those freed were Orlov, dissidents Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin, and US citizens Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Alsu Kurmasheva.
Orlov, who had been imprisoned for protesting against the war in Ukraine and criticizing President Vladimir Putin, emphasised his regret over leaving others behind.
He expressed a strong commitment to continue advocating for human rights, despite his new status as an emigre in Germany.
