The Dultsev scouts have spoken about coming to Russia for the 2018 World Cup

The family of illegal spies Artem and Anna Dultsev, who returned to Russia with their daughters as a result of prisoner exchanges with Western countries, told the magazine "Razvedchik" on Tuesday, December 10, in an interview how they managed to come to Russia in the summer of 2018 for the World Cup.

"A couple of times we came to Russia, but it was very difficult to organize, you know. In the summer of 2018, when Russia hosted the World Cup, we took advantage of this situation and came as foreigners," said Artem Dultsev.

He noted that the family attended several matches and sat in the stands next to Argentine fans. The couple also managed to meet at the dacha with their parents. It is specified that the children at that time were too young to understand the situation.

"Nevertheless, we decided that the trip to Nizhny [Novogorod] is important for them, it will be memorable for them and will help them adapt after their return, because mostly children of illegal immigrants come to their homeland when they are already big and it is not easy for them to accept the reality that is new to them," Anna summarized.

A large-scale prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries took place on August 1 in Ankara. As a result of the exchange, eight Russians returned home, including Roman Seleznev, as well as Vadim Krasikov, spouses Anna and Artem Dultsev (released in Slovenia) with their children, journalist Pavel Rubtsov (released in Poland), Mikhail Mikushin (released in Norway) and Vadim Konoschenok and Vladislav Klushin, released in the United States. Russia handed over 16 prisoners to the West, including citizens of the United States, Germany, the Russian Federation and persons with dual citizenship. The flight with the Russians arrived in Moscow late in the evening of August 1. The returnees were personally met by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Dultsev told reporters on August 5 that Russian diplomats repeatedly visited the convicts in prison. During one such meeting, he was told that Putin had sent his regards. The diplomats noted that the Russian president and the SVR were doing everything possible to recover the spies from Slovenia.

On Aug. 7, SVR head Sergei Naryshkin said the prisoner exchange was an important event for Russian intelligence. The next day, he said that the Russians who returned home as a result of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Western countries needed a vacation, but after it they would return to their work.