Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 8 January 2026
Russia and France successfully concluded a prisoner exchange on 8 January 2026 in Dubai, mediated by the United Arab Emirates.
Russia released French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who had been imprisoned in Russia since June 2024 on charges of failing to register as a “foreign agent” while gathering materials for a book. In exchange, France released Russian professional basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, who had been detained in Paris since August 2025 on suspicion of involvement in a cyberhacking operation.
The exchange was the first publicly acknowledged prisoner swap between Russia and a Western European nation in 2026. No further details of the terms of the agreement or the charges against Mr. Kasatkin were disclosed by French authorities at the time of the exchange.
References:
- The Moscow Times. “Russia Releases French Researcher in Prisoner Exchange.” themoscowtimes.com, 8 Jan. 2026.
