Stunning new details emerged Friday on the largest prisoner swap since the Cold War, with the Kremlin acknowledging for the first time that some of the Russians held in the West belonged to its security services — and the children of a Russian couple posing as spies only learned their true nationality on the flight to Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a detained couple released in Slovenia —Artem and Anna Dultsev— were undercover intelligence officers commonly known as “illegals.” Posing as Argentine expats, they used Ljubljana as their base since 2017 to relay Moscow’s orders to other sleeper agents and were arrested on espionage charges in 2022.

Their two children joined them as they flew to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport from Ankara, Turkey, where the mass exchange took place. The children don’t speak Russian, and only learned their parents were Russian nationals sometime on the flight, Peskov said.

They also didn’t know who President Vladimir Putin was, “asking who is it greeting them,” he added.

“That’s how illegals work, and that’s the sacrifices they make because of their dedication to their work,” Peskov said.

A total of 24  prisoners were involved in Thursday’s historic swap —and a total of 26 people, including the spy couple’s kids, changed planes on the tarmac in Ankara.

While journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva and former Marine Paul Whelan were greeted by their families and President Joe Biden in Maryland on Thursday night, Putin embraced each of the Russian returnees at the airport and promised them state awards and a “talk about your future.”

Also returning to Moscow was Vadim Krasikov, a Russian assassin who was serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a former Chechen fighter in a Berlin park. The German judges who sentenced Krasikov called Khangoshvili’s murder an act of Russian “state terrorism,” and the incident set off a diplomatic row between Moscow and Berlin.

Peskov told reporters Friday that Krasikov is an officer of the Federal Security Service, or FSB —a fact reported in the West even as Moscow denied state involvement.

He also said Krasikov once served in the FSB’s special forces Alpha unit, along with some of Putin’s bodyguards.

“Naturally, they also greeted each other yesterday when they saw each other,” Peskov said, underscoring Putin’s determination to include Krasikov in the swap. Earlier this year, Putin stopped short of identifying Krasikov, but referenced a “patriot” imprisoned in a “U.S.-allied country” for “liquidating a bandit” who had killed Russian soldiers during fighting in the Caucasus.

The large-scale exchange comes less than two years after WNBA star Brittney Griner was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” on an airport in Abu Dhabi. 

Griner was arrested in 2022 at a Moscow airport when vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her bags. She was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges. 

Arrested in 2008, Bout was serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S. for conspiring to sell weapons to people who intended to kill Americans. 

Retirement can bring new opportunities — and new challenges — during your senior years. During this time, many people find themselves at a crossroads, contemplating how to make the most of their retirement while navigating the complex landscape of aging in America. 

These challenges (and the many other challenges seniors face) can make your older years difficult to traverse on your own. Luckily, there is an organization that can provide you with guidance and extra help when you need it: AARP. 

Founded in 1958, AARP’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all as we age — and since that time, it has grown into one of the most influential senior-focused nonprofit organizations in the country. And, as we enter the latter half of summer, there are a few good reasons you may want to consider becoming a member.

Ready to sign up for an AARP membership? Get started here.

3 reasons seniors should join AARP this August

If you’re a senior, here’s why you may want to join the AARP community this August:

The robust advocacy efforts

Given what’s at stake, it’s important to ensure that your voice is heard on legislation that can impact you, like proposed changes to programs like Social Security and Medicare. But that can be hard to do on your own.

That’s where an AARP membership can be beneficial. AARP is known for its robust advocacy efforts, which can play a pivotal role in shaping policies that affect older Americans. Its team of policy experts and lobbyists works to ensure that the concerns of seniors are heard and addressed at both the federal and state levels. By joining now, you can add your voice to a collective chorus that champions their interests on critical issues such as:

• Social Security reform and protection
• Medicare expansion and prescription drug pricing
• Age discrimination in the workplace
• Long-term care and caregiving support

As a member, you’ll receive regular updates on policy developments and opportunities to participate in grassroots advocacy efforts. This ensures your perspective is represented in the conversation that will shape the future of aging in America.

Find out more about the many benefits an AARP membership can provide you.

The exclusive August savings (and year-round discounts)

While AARP’s advocacy efforts are a cornerstone of its mission, the organization also provides tangible, immediate benefits to its members through an extensive network of discounts and savings. Joining this August could be particularly advantageous, as many retailers and service providers offer special end-of-summer deals — and this is right about the time they do so. While the discounts can vary, AARP members often enjoy:

• Travel discounts on hotels, car rentals and vacation packages, which are perfect for late summer getaways or planning future trips
• Savings on dining out, entertainment and shopping, which can help to stretch retirement budgets further
• Exclusive offers on insurance products, including auto, home and life insurance
• Discounts on healthcare-related expenses, such as prescription medications and hearing aids

These savings can help offset the cost of membership, making this an ideal time to join and start benefiting from AARP’s extensive discount program.

Access to resources on healthy aging

AARP provides a wealth of resources to its members to support healthy aging, which can be particularly valuable as we head into the cooler months. By joining this August, you’ll gain immediate access to:

• Expert advice on nutrition, fitness and mental health tailored for older adults
• The latest research on age-related health conditions and preventive measures
• Tools and calculators to help plan for healthcare expenses and long-term care needs
• Community programs and workshops focused on healthy living and social engagement

And AARP’s commitment to promoting healthy aging extends beyond just physical health. The organization also offers resources on brain health, social connection and lifelong learning, all of which are crucial components of well-being in later life.

The bottom line

Joining AARP this August is about more than just signing up for a membership; it’s about becoming part of a community that understands and champions the unique needs and aspirations of seniors. It’s an investment in oneself and in the collective future of aging in America. And as the political landscape heats up, the economy fluctuates and the importance of health and wellness remains paramount, there’s no better time for seniors to align themselves with an organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life as we age.