A large-scale prisoner swap between the US and Russia is underway, according to a source familiar, and it is expected to include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, and a number of Americans, Paralel.Az reports citing CNN.

The parties have agreed to a prisoner transfer and the prisoners are expected to be in US custody soon, according to a senior administration official.

According to CBS, The swap would be part of a historically complex 24-person prisoner swap between the U.S., Russia, Germany, and three other Western countries.

As part of the deal, at least 12 political prisoners held in Russia are expected to be released to Germany. Eight Russian nationals are expected to be returned to Russia, including several with suspected ties to Russian intelligence. Among the Russian nationals expected to be involved in the swap is Vadim Krasikov, a convicted murderer who has been serving a life sentence for a 2019 killing in Germany that the judges said had been ordered by Russian federal authorities.