Germany on Thursday released Vadim Krasikov, the convicted assassin of Georgian citizen Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, as part of a broader deal involving Russia, Belarus, and the United States. 

Khangoshvili, a Georgian of Chechen origin, was a former field commander who fought against Russia in the Second Chechen War. 

He was murdered in Berlin in 2019, an act that a German court determined was orchestrated by the Russian government.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with German citizens released from Russian and Belarusian prisons at Cologne Airport in the early hours of Friday, following their arrival from Ankara, Turkey. During a press conference at the airport, Scholz revealed that negotiations for the release of political prisoners had been ongoing for several months, with Germany “working closely” alongside the US.

Scholz acknowledged the challenges in freeing Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence for the assassination of Khangoshvili. The chancellor defended the decision, stating that Germany prioritized the lives and well-being of innocent people held in Russian prisons, as well as the protection of its citizens.

Khangoshvili, who was wanted by Moscow on charges of "terrorism," was killed on August 23, 2019, in Berlin. His assassin, initially identified with a fake Russian passport under the name Vadim Sokolov, was later revealed to be Vadim Krasikov, an operative of the Russian special services. Krasikov's release has been a priority for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who welcomed him and other freed Russians at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport on Thursday. 

The exchange also saw the release of several high-profile individuals, including US journalist Evan Gershkovich and Russian opposition figures, in a complex negotiation that highlighted ongoing tensions between Russia and the West.