The United States returned an American teacher imprisoned in the Russian Federation
The United States has returned American teacher Mark Vogel, who was held in a Russian prison. He is currently in the United States. About this reported Adam Boehler, the president’s pick for special envoy on hostage issues.
“For us, this was just the beginning. It was a unilateral decision. For us, it means that we are creating and communicating to other people thoughts that are non-violent from the point of view of Russia. So this means that the president is now open to something.” Böhler noted.
He added that the US “wanted to take a step forward” and Russia also “took a step towards President” Donald Trump. Trump adviser Mike Waltz previously announced the release of Vogel, who was convicted in Russia on drug smuggling charges. The White House called it an exchange, but did not specify the terms on which the US agreed to the release.
We will remind that Mark Vogel was detained in August 2021 at the Moscow airport, when a small amount of marijuana was found in his luggage. It was prescribed for the relief of chronic pain by a medical prescription obtained in the United States. In 2022, a Russian court sentenced him to 14 years in prison. In December 2024, the US State Department officially recognized Fogel as “unjustly imprisoned.”
