Soon after a large-scale exchange of prisoners between the Russian Federation, Belarus and Western countries, Telegram channels distributed a video in which the American leader, who met the plane with fellow citizens, boarded the plane for a couple of minutes. It was claimed that Biden "almost flew to Russia as a result of the exchange." We have verified the accuracy of such posts.
August 1, 2024 took place exchange of 26 people (including two children) between Russia, USA, Germany, Belarus, Slovenia, Poland and Norway. In particular, journalists convicted in the Russian Federation returned to the United States Evan Gershkovitch (16 years for espionage) and Alsou Kurmasheva (six and a half years for spreading “fake news” about the army), as well as a former Marine Paul Whelan (16 years for espionage). At Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland they met US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The next day, Telegram channels began publishing a video of Biden entering the business jet that allegedly brought Gershkovich, Kurmasheva and Whelan to America, and leaving it after about two minutes. “Biden almost flew to Russia as a result of the exchange. The President of the United States went and boarded the plane after all the prisoners had already gotten off it, and sat there until he was taken out of it. The pills don’t help anymore,” commented video in the “Ax 18+” channel (1.9 million views). “Thank God that I sat not in the pilot’s seat, but in the cabin, otherwise I could have started taxiing,” noted “The world of Mikhail Onufrienko" (145,000), and "Putin on Telegram" (146,000) paid attentionthat the American leader was not embarrassed by the aircraft’s livery with the inscription “Russia”. With similar comments, the video was published by the channels “Anatoly Shariy"(685,000 views), "KB"(190,000), "Pozdnyakov 3.0"(306,000), "Rhymes and punches"(200,000), "RT in Russian" (169,000), "Dmitry Nicotin"(156,000), "Uncle Slava" (139,000), "Observer"(133,000), "Sheikh Tamir"(117,000), etc.
The video that became viral is a fragment of a broadcast on the official White House YouTube channel. In this video, Biden and Harris, accompanied by several officers and relatives of those released, approach the jet's ramp. First Whelan descends along it, then Gershkovich and Kurmasheva. Politicians greet fellow citizens, talking briefly with each of them and with their relatives. Biden and Harris then approach reporters and answer a few questions. After this, the American president points his finger at the plane and climbs on board for a couple of minutes. Having returned, he and Harris again approach first the returned fellow citizens and their loved ones, and then the press.
Already from this video it follows that at least some of the statements made by the authors of popular Telegram channels are not confirmed by the video that they attached to their posts. Thus, it is impossible to tell from the broadcast whether Biden sat in any seat on the plane, whether the word “Russia” is on the livery, or whether the board was empty. The comments that Biden was taken out of the jet are also doubtful - he left it on his own.
The event was broadcast not only by the US presidential administration, but also by major American media. For example, an hour and a half video available on the USA Today YouTube channel. At the mark 1:03:24 the ramp can be seen opening at the same time as Biden approaches the plane, and Whelan is the first person on board to descend to the ground. At the same time, the pilot is visible in the cockpit.
In the broadcast, the plane is visible several times in the general plan - it does not have a livery with the inscription “Russia”. Judging by its tail number, it is a Bombardier business jet. registered in the USA. When the American president had already stepped off the ramp after a short stay on board and again headed to the journalists, in the door compartment of the plane visible moving figures. This refutes the assertion that after the liberated people left the jet, there were no people left in the cabin.
How explained at the White House, Biden briefly came aboard to thank the crew for their work. Probably, the politician also briefly talked with the people accompanying Gershkovich, Whelan and Kurmasheva - when the plane was still flying to the USA, the head of state published photo taken in the salon. In addition to the two released journalists and the ex-marine, the photo shows seven more people. Based on broadcasts reviewed by Verified, they remained on board throughout the entire event at AFB Andrews.
Thus, allegations that Biden confused the jet on which the Americans released as part of the exchange arrived in the United States and his own plane ready for takeoff are unfounded. In turn, the explanation of White House representatives that the head of state briefly boarded the plane to thank the crew members and accompanying persons is more than plausible.
Cover photo: X/@POTUS
- The Insider. Russia exchanged political prisoners for spies
- The Wall Street Journal. Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich
- Reuters. How the Russia prisoner swap took years of US negotiations
- Deutsche Welle. “The West’s mistake and Putin’s blackmail.” What the German media write about the exchange
- Is it true that Biden got lost at the G7 summit?
- Is it true that Biden tried to sit on a non-existent chair?
- Is the video of Biden trying to hug an invisible interlocutor true?
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