Vadim Krasikov
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20
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Search complete. 24 mentions across 20 episodes found for "Vadim Krasikov".
Oct 15, 2026
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And the negotiations between the Americans and the Russians were, the Russians were telling the Americans, Paul Whelan isn't leaving Russia unless actually this Russian that we want from Germany comes back to Russia.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And that was Vadim Krasikov, an FSB assassin who had been sent on state assignment there, murdered somebody in broad daylight.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And the Americans were saying, Well, this is crazy.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Like, how do we do this swap? You're asking for a third country.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, he was an American held on espionage charges in Russia, um, from 2018, and the Americans were trying to get him home.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
The Russians were saying, "Well, he'll leave Russia only if Vadim Krasikov," this FSB assassin who was sent to Germany on a state mission, who murdered a person in broad daylight, "will leave Germany." Uh, he was s- sentenced to life in prison, and the Americans were saying, "This is crazy.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, this is a third country." And the Russians were saying, "Well, good luck getting Paul Whelan home then." And then they take an American.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Um, and so on my second night in prison, on TV is playing a news show just like this one, and the ho- you know, well, it's a propaganda show, a state, uh, a controlled one.
10 MINS LATER
Yalda HakimHOST
And, and just finally, Evan, uh, do you think they're looking for their next Evan Gershkovich?
Evan GershkovichGUEST
I mean, I, I think it completely depends on the situation.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
If they have a guy like Vadim Krasikov held somewhere that they're not able to return home, maybe they need a kind of a big asset.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And I think that's what foreign journalists who are still working Russia are left thinking about.
James O'BrienHOST
Mm.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
By the fall, you know, six months later, they've tried, they've found Russian spies in different prisons around the world, and they offer a four for two to Russia for myself and Paul Whelan, and Russia says, "No, we want Krasikov." So at that point, it becomes clear that this is the only way, and the US and Germany come up with this clever idea to include Alexei Navalny, who's been jailed at this point, in the swap because he had earlier been poisoned in Russia, was treated in Germany, was a kind of cause célèbre there.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
The former chancellor, Olaf Scholz-
James O'BrienHOST
Mm
James O'BrienHOST
Yeah, yeah
Evan GershkovichGUEST
...
Evan GershkovichGUEST
the expense of some, you know, Krasikov being released.
James O'BrienHOST
He was a nemesis, but the guy-
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And he was sentenced for life.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
This was Vadim Krasikov.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
He was an FSB assassin, sent on assignment, and he murdered somebody in broad daylight in a park in front of families.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And he was sentenced for life.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, and there were negotiations going between the Americans and the Russians.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
The Americans were saying, "How do we get him out?" And the Russians were saying, "Well, the only way to get him out, the only way he'll leave Russia is for Vadim Krasikov." This FSB assassin being held in Germany for life for murdering a person on state assignment in broad daylight has to leave Germany back to Russia.
Emily MaitlisHOST
Okay.
Emily MaitlisHOST
So, uh, Evan, I just want to-
Evan GershkovichGUEST
I mean, at that point, in the lead-up to my arrest, there were these hostage negotiations going on.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, the Russians wanted to get back Vadim Krasikov, this FSB assassin held in Germany.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, and they were holding Paul Whelan, an American citizen, on espionage charges.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, and the Americans were saying, "We want Paul back." And the Russians were saying, "Well, you can have him if Vadim leaves Germany." The Americans were saying, "That's crazy." Lo and behold, they get another American, and eventually that's how the swap went through, you know, with some frills around other people involved and...
Micah LoewingerHOST
...
Micah LoewingerHOST
in Russia, an American on espionage charges, and the Americans were trying to bring him home, and the Russians were telling them, "Well, he's not going home until Vadim Krasikov, an FS-- a BS assassin comes home from Germany."
David RemnickSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
Right.
Micah LoewingerHOST
He had murdered a guy in broad daylight, uh, there sent from Russia on, on a mission, uh, and the Americans were saying, "Well, this is crazy.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
We were wrong.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, the, [chuckles] the-- At that point, uh, what was going on was in late twenty two and early twenty three, the Americans were asking the Russians, they were still trying to get Paul Whelan out, and the Russians were telling the Americans, "Well, Paul Whelan will only ever leave Russia if Vadim Krasikov," who was an FSB assassin sent to Germany on a mission who killed a person in broad daylight and sentenced to life in prison in Germany, would leave Germany.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
And the Americans were telling the Russians in negotiations, "This is outlandish.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
Uh, what does Germany have to do with this?" And then I'm arrested, and the Russians come back with a two-for-one request.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
...
Evan GershkovichGUEST
in Russia, an American on espionage charges, and the Americans were trying to bring him home, and the Russians were telling them, "Well, he's not going home until Vadim Krasikov, an F-FSB assassin, comes home from Germany."
David RemnickHOST
Right.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
He had murdered a guy in broad daylight, uh, there, sent from Russia on, on a mission, uh, and the Americans were saying, "Well, this is crazy.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
...
Evan GershkovichGUEST
in Russia, an American on espionage charges, and the Americans were trying to bring him home, and the Russians were telling them, "Well, he's not going home until Vadim Krasikov, an FS- BS assassin, comes home from Germany."
David RemnickHOST
Right.
Evan GershkovichGUEST
He had murdered a guy in broad daylight, uh, there sent from Russia on, on a mission, uh, and the Americans were saying, "Well, this is crazy.
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