Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher accused of gathering Russian military information without registering as a "foreign agent," is escorted to a courtroom in Moscow, Russia, September 3, 2024. ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP
French researcher Laurent Vinatier arrived in France on Thursday, January 8, following a prisoner exchange involving a Russian basketball player wanted in the United States, the foreign ministry and President Emmanuel Macron said. "Our compatriot Laurent Vinatier is free and back in France," Macron said on X, thanking diplomats. "I share the relief felt by his family and loved ones," he added. He "has just arrived in Paris," a diplomatic source told AFP.
Vinatier, 49, was exchanged for Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, 26, who had been held in France. Vinatier had been jailed in Russia in June 2024 and was serving a three-year sentence for failing to register as a "foreign agent" – a label used by Russia against critics of President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin's policies. He faced fresh allegations of spying that could have seen him sentenced to another 20 years, allegations slammed as baseless by Paris.
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French researcher Laurent Vinatier now faces espionage charges in Moscow
