Putin called him a patriot. But who is Vadim Krasikov, a Russian released in the mass prisoner swap?

Vadim Krasikov, the Russian at the center of a massive prisoner swap, has long topped the Kremlin’s list for an exchange. President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year that he was interested in such a trade to free a “patriot” held in Germany. Now Krasikov is being released by Germany, where he has been imprisoned for murder. Krasikov was convicted for the Aug. 23, 2019, killing of Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, a 40-year-old Georgian citizen who had fought Russian troops in Chechnya and later claimed asylum in Germany. German judges said Krasikov had acted on the orders of Russian authorities, who gave him a false identity, passport and the resources to carry out the killing.