MOSCOW, August 7. /TASS/. Konstantin Yaroshenko, a member of the Russian Civic Chamber, told TASS that Russia might demand the release of its citizens imprisoned in the United States in exchange for fulfilling Washington's request for the release of Robert Gilman, an American convicted in Russia.
On August 6, Reuters, citing a US official, reported that the American administration had asked Russia to release Robert Gilman, who was convicted in Russia for violence against a government official.
As Yaroshenko commented, "the Americans want to secure the release of their citizen who has committed a crime. In such a situation, I believe it is illogical to simply release US citizens who have committed offenses, especially considering that many of our citizens are held in US prisons on fabricated and falsified charges. Therefore, his release can only be achieved under mutually beneficial conditions: if the US genuinely needs this citizen, they should, in turn, release our citizens - one, two, three, or more. The more, the better."
He emphasized that, given the current aggressive US foreign policy toward Russia, the issue of Gilman's release cannot be considered without reciprocal measures. "We shouldn't make a goodwill gesture simply because the Americans do not recognize such gestures, especially when they are pursuing an aggressive policy toward Russia and imposing new sanctions," Yaroshenko stated.
