Putinswap: France trades alleged ransomware crook for conflict researcher

Basketball player accused of aiding cybercrime gang extradition blocked in exchange for Swiss NGO consultant

France has released an alleged ransomware crook wanted by the US in exchange for a conflict researcher imprisoned in Russia.

The prisoner swap occurred Thursday, with president Vladimir Putin pardoning French researcher and political scientist Laurent Vinatier.

Vinatier, 49, was sentenced to three years in a Russian prison in October 2024 for failing to register as a foreign agent. The FSB claimed he collected "military and military-technical information" during his time in Russia.

The researcher, a consultant for the Swiss NGO Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, reportedly faced more serious espionage charges in August after being found guilty under foreign agent law.

Specializing in the Ukraine war, Vinatier's work focused on communicating between states mired in conflict, outside of official channels.

Vinatier's release was negotiated by France, which was holding basketball player Daniil Kasatkin ...