Baby Steps...

Russia and the U.S. got a prisoner exchange deal done today.  A captured ex-US marine for an international drug smuggler:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia and the United States have carried out an unexpected prisoner exchange 

in a time of high tensions, trading a Marine veteran jailed by Moscow for a convicted Russian drug trafficker 

serving a long prison sentence in America.

The deal announced by both countries involving Trevor Reed, an American imprisoned for nearly three years, 

would have been a notable diplomatic maneuver even in times of peace. It was all the more surprising because 

it was done as Russia’s war with Ukraine has driven relations with the U.S. to their lowest point in decades.

The U.S., for its part, returned Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who’d been serving a 20-year federal prison 

sentence in Connecticut for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. after he was arrested in Liberia in 2010

 and extradited to the U.S. The Justice Department has described him as “an experienced international drug 

trafficker” who conspired to distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine around the world.Despite Reed’s release, 

other Americans remain jailed in Russia, including WNBA star Brittney Griner and Michigan corporate security 

executive Paul Whelan.

The exchange took place in Turkey, Reed’s father, Joey Reed, told CNN.

“The American plane pulled up next to the Russian plane and they walked both prisoners across at the same time, 

like you see in the movies,” he said.

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In other news, there are reports that Ukraine is striking targets inside Russia with their

newfound trove of internationally supplied weaponry... (?)  Not sure if that's correct or

what it portends for further escalation.  Is Ukraine a staging ground now for the world

to invade and depose Putin?  Hm.  Hope not.  ("one step forward, two steps back...")