Steve Rosenberg: How stage was set for Russia prisoner swap

The stage was set for a prisoner swap between Russia and the West, with signs indicating that discussions were taking place behind the scenes. The exchange would involve the release of Russian citizen Maria Butina and two Lithuanians, followed by the return of two Russians imprisoned in Lithuania. The story begins with the case of Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist who was arrested in the United States in July 2018 and later pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as a foreign agent. Butina's case drew significant attention and raised questions about the nature of her activities in the US and her ties to the Russian government. In December 2019, Butina was released from a US prison and flown back to Russia, where she was greeted as a hero. The sudden move sparked speculation about a potential prisoner swap between Russia and the West, as it was unusual for an individual like Butina to be released early and returned to their home country. Around the same time, two Lithuanian nationals, Yevgeny Mataitis and Aristidas Tamosaitis, were being held in Russia on charges of espionage. Mataitis, a dual Lithuanian-Russian citizen, was arrested in 2015, while Tamosaitis, a retired Lithuanian army officer, was detained in 2017. Both men were accused of spying for Lithuania, a member of the European Union and NATO. The Lithuanian government had been working tirelessly to secure the release of their citizens and had repeatedly