Russia has freed Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a three-year jail sentence for flouting legal guidelines requiring “foreign agents” to register with authorities. Vinatier can be exchanged for detained basketball participant Daniil Kasatkin, accused by the US of hacking. Russian media reported that Vinatier had been pardoned by President Vladimir Putin.
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20260108-russia-frees-french-researcher-laurent-vinatier