GEOFF BENNETT: Rarely has an airport# seen such joy after very long delays,## but last night was no ordinary night at Joint# Base Andrews just east of Washington, D.C. Three Americans held by Russia returned# home to a presidential welcome.
Nick Schifrin is here with that -- Nick.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Geoff, perhaps even more# important than the hugs and handshakes from## the president and the vice president, the joy and# the relief of the families of Evan Gershkovich,## Alsu Kurmasheva, and Paul Whelan, as they greeted# their loved ones after months, even years apart.
First, he had to shake the commander in# chief's hand, but then Evan Gershkovich## got to hug his mom and lift her as she# had raised him up during his detention.
Ella Milman wrote Evan every week and worked# tirelessly to secure his safety for 491 days.
QUESTION: What about the show of support?
EVAN GERSHKOVICH, The Wall# Street Journal: It's -- it's... (CHEERING) (APPLAUSE) EVAN GERSHKOVICH: Yes, it's overwhelming.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Paul Whelan's# reunion with his sister, Elizabeth,## took five-and-a-half years.
She'd previously# criticized President Biden for leaving her## brother behind in previous trades.# Overnight, the three shared a smile.
And Alsu Kurmasheva, after a brief vice# presidential embrace, held her daughters## and husband tight.
They'd been separated for# nearly a year while she was detained and then## convicted of spreading false information.# Three American families are whole again.
GIRL: We're in the Oval Office.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Just hours earlier,## Kurmasheva's daughters and all the family# member.. PAUL WHELAN, Freed Prisoner: Paul Whelan here.
JOE BIDEN, President of the United States: I.. (LAUGHTER) JOE BIDEN: She's back.
She knows the Oval Office# .. WOMAN: Paul, it's incredible.
NICK SCHIFRIN: There was one more call to make,## to Vladimir Kara-Murza, sentenced to# 25 years for treason f.. of journalism and pro-democracy activism# that included two failed poisoning attempts.
His work was continued by his wife, Evgenia... EVGENIA KARA-MURZA, Wife of# Vladimir Kara-Murza: Hello, hello.
NICK SCHIFRIN: ... whom he# thou.. VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA, Russian Opposition# Politician: No word is strong enough for this.## I was sure I'm going to die in prison.
There's --# I don't believe what's .. a -- I still think I'm sleeping in my prison# cell in Omsk, instead of hearing your voice.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Kara-Murza has a green# card, but traveled to Germany with the## other released Russian dissidents,# who vowed to continue their work.
VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA (through translator):# I not only believe and not only think,## I know for sure that I will definitely# return to Russia, and that the day will## definitely come when Russia will become a# free, normal, civilized European country.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Ilya Yashin was also released# from Russian detention as part of the swap## after his conviction for spreading false# information for criticizing the war in## Ukraine.
He said he demanded not to be freed# in a prison swap that would only empower Putin.
ILYA YASHIN, Russian Opposition Politician# (through translator): In exchange for the## release of one murderer, 16 innocent peopl.. is a difficult dilemma, including because it# certainly motivates Putin to take new hostages.
NICK SCHIFRIN: As for the Americans, at 2:00 a.m.,## they arrived at a rehabilitation facility in# San Antonio.
And after unveiling the official## U.S. hostages And wrongful detainees# flag, Paul Whelan said he felt relief.
PAUL WHELAN: It was a good homecoming here.
So,## looking forward to seeing my family down# here and just recuperating from five years,## seven months, and five days of just# absolute nonsense by the Russian government.