Paul Whelan believes 'wheels are turning' for release from Russian jail

Former US Marine says he wants US to work quicker to arrange his release

Paul Whelan is serving a 16-year prison sentence in Russia on spying charges that he and the US government deny. Moscow News Agency / AP

Paul Whelan, the former US Marine declared as wrongfully detained in Russia, has said he believes Washington is closer to securing his release.

“I remain positive and confident on a daily basis that the wheels are turning,” he told CNN during an interview from his prison camp in Mordovia, a remote part of Russia about 566km south-east of Moscow.

“I just wish they would turn a little bit more quickly.”

Mr Whelan was detained in 2018 on spying charges that he and Washington strongly deny. In 2020 he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was detained by Russia on similar charges this year.

“I have been told that I won’t be left behind, and I have been told that although Evan’s case is a priority, mine is also a priority, and people are cognisant of the fact that this is having an extremely negative impact on me and my family,” Mr Whelan said.

He said he believes his case is a priority so the US can then focus on Mr Gershkovich's release.

Mr Whelan said he had been encouraged by remarks made by Joe Biden at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, in which the President said the US would continue to work to bring him home.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken previously said the US had made a “serious proposal” for Mr Whelan's release.

Lynne Tracy, the US ambassador to Russia, has visited Mr Whelan at the prison in Mordovia, the US embassy said in a tweet this month. The embassy added that “his release remains an absolute priority”.