Paris, 9 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) - A French political scientist serving a prison sentence in Russia was freed by Moscow on Thursday as part of a prisoner swap with Paris.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Laurent Vinatier, who had been accused by Russia of espionage, has returned to France.

Russia's domestic security service said Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin was released from jail in France and has flown back to Russia.

Vinatier, a Central Asia specialist, had been working in Russia for the Swiss non-governmental organization Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, which focuses on conflict resolution.

He was arrested in 2024 and convicted of violating regulations governing so-called "foreign agents." In 2025, Russian authorities added espionage charges.

Kasatkin was taken into custody in France in 2025 at the request of the United States, which accused him of involvement in a ransomware gang and had filed an extradition request.

The swap was not unexpected, after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in late December that a resolution to the Vinatier case could be found soon.