'Not bad' Gershkovich on finally being home free

For a few seconds, no one even noticed that Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was given a 16-year sentence by a Russian court on espionage charges, had taken his first steps back on US soil as a free man.

- Andrew Roth

All eyes were on Paul Whelan, the ex-marine who had spent more than 2,000 days in a Russian prison, mostly in obscurity, as his family implored the White House to bring him home. Now Joe Biden was holding him by the elbow while the vice-president, Kamala Harris, looked on.

But then Harris turned and spotted Gershkovich, who threw his arms out as if to say: "Here I am." She mimicked him in mock surprise. Then they hugged. It was a moment.

Soon Gershkovich came over to his mother, Ella, who had lobbied presidents, chancellors and senior officials to assemble a complex prisoner swap that would release him from a Russian jail. He lifted her off the ground in a big bear hug. Another picture-perfect moment.

Finally, he strolled over to the more than 100 waiting journalists, ready to greet colleagues and field questions despite the fact he had been released just that morning. Asked how it felt to be free, he said: "Not bad."