OREANDA-NEWS Russian President Vladimir Putin has pardoned French citizen Laurent Vinatier (recognized in Russia as a foreign agent), who was convicted of espionage in the Russian Federation. This is reported by TASS with reference to the FSB Public Relations Center.

"He was pardoned by decree of the President of the Russian Federation," the agency quoted the ministry as saying.

It is specified that Vinatier, after his release, was exchanged for Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, who was detained in the summer of 2025 at the Paris airport at the request of the United States. He was accused of being a member of a hacker network that operated with the help of ransomware and negotiated ransoms within this network.

In October, Vinatier was sentenced to three years in a general regime penal colony under part 3 of Article 330.1 ("Evading duties provided for by the legislation of the Russian Federation on foreign agents") of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In addition, a criminal case on espionage was opened against the Frenchman.