UPDATE 1-Russia frees French researcher Vinatier in prisoner exchange, state media says

His lawyer Frederic Belot said Kasatkin, detained ⁠last ‌June at ⁠the request of the U.S. for alleged involvement in hacking attacks, flew back ‍to Moscow on Thursday. Vinatier was convicted in October 2024 ​of breaking laws requiring individuals deemed to be "foreign agents" ⁠to register with the Russian authorities.

Russia is freeing Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher ‌serving a three-year prison sentence for violating Moscow's foreign agent laws, in exchange for ⁠France's release of a jailed Russian, state media quoted the FSB security service as saying on Thursday.

RIA news agency ​said Vinatier, 49, had been pardoned by President Vladimir ‍Putin. The pardon was announced after France freed Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin from custody. His lawyer Frederic Belot said Kasatkin, detained ⁠last ‌June at ⁠the request of the U.S. for alleged involvement in hacking attacks, flew back ‍to Moscow on Thursday.

Vinatier was convicted in October 2024 ​of breaking laws requiring individuals deemed to be "foreign agents" ⁠to register with the Russian authorities. While behind bars, he was ⁠later placed under additional investigation for espionage, and was facing a likely further trial in the coming months. The ⁠Kremlin said in late December it had made a ⁠proposal to France ‌regarding Vinatier, after Putin said he would look into his case.

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