Signs of a major prisoner exchange between Russia and Belarus on one side and the United States, Germany, Slovenia and Britain on the other grew stronger on Wednesday, but there was no official confirmation of what may be the biggest swap since the Cold War.
Two people jailed in Russia — Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian-British dissident — disappeared from view on Wednesday, their lawyers said, after at least seven Russian dissidents were unexpectedly moved from their prisons in recent days.
Online Russian media outlet "Agenstvo" reported that at least six special Russian government planes had flown to and from the regions where their prisons were located. Reuters could not immediately confirm that.