Veteran diplomat, known for head-to-head encounters with Washington's strongman foes, dedicated end of his career to freeing American hostages held by rivals

FSB says Russia-born Evan Geshkovich suspected of spying for Washington, detained in Yekaterinburg for gathering info 'on an enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex'

Taylor Dudley let out of custody, with no announced prisoner swap, a month after WNBA star Britney Griner's release; unclear why he was detained

Mickey Bergman of the Richardson Center, which specializes in freeing American political prisoners, tells Times of Israel about the talks leading to the basketball player's release

Biden announces basketball player returning home in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout; jailed former marine not freed as part of deal

Ahead of court hearing, imprisoned athlete 'begs' for lighter sentence, saying ongoing saga has been 'very, very stressful and very traumatic'

US basketball champion is appealing her conviction for drug possession after she was found with cannabis oil vape canisters at Moscow airport

'Every minute they are being held is a minute too long,' White House says of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan as US works for their release

2-time Olympic winner pleads guilty to 'honest mistake' of having small amount of cannabis oil; conviction raises speculation about prisoner exchange with US

Top US diplomat doesn't reveal how Lavrov responded to talks, says he also pressed him on prisoner swaps, grain shipments through Black Sea