Watch as Russian dissidents released in US prisoner exchange speak to media

Watch as Russian dissidents Ilya Yashin, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Andrei Pivovarov hold a press conference on Friday 2 August after being released in the Russia-US prisoner swap.

The trio were released alongside other high-profile names including reporter Evan Gershkovich and US marine Paul Whelan.

Mr Kara-Murza, who has joint Russian and British nationality and is a Kremlin critic and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, was serving 25 years on charges of treason.

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed news of the releases in a social media post on Thursday.

“I welcome the release of a number of prisoners held in Russia, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich,” he wrote.

My thoughts are with them and their loved ones as they are reunited. We will continue to call on Russia to uphold freedom of political expression.”

David Lammy, the foreign secretary, added that he is “particularly relieved” that the British nationals will be reunited with their families.