Why Putin thinks he’s the winner in Russia’s prisoner swap with the West

It’s something Vladimir Putin does rarely: go to the airport to meet people off a plane. Personally.

But he was there last night: on the tarmac at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport to meet and greet those Russians whose release he’d secured from foreign jails; part of the largest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

Out of the plane and down the steps came 10 people, including spies, sleeper agents and a convicted assassin.

“Congratulations on your return to the Motherland!” he told them.

You could tell that the Kremlin believes it has something to celebrate.

For the returning Russians there was a red carpet reception and a guard of honour. There were bouquets of flowers and – for some – hugs from the president. Mr Putin embraced Vadim Krasikov, the FSB hitman who’d been serving a life sentence in Germany for assassinating a Georgian-born Chechen dissident.

President Putin promised them all state awards.

“I would like to address those of you who have a direct connection to military service,” he continued. “Thank you for your loyalty to your oath and your duty to your Motherland, which has never forgotten you for a moment.”