Why Putin thinks he was the winner in the prisoner exchange

Steve Rosenberg - BBC

It is a rare occurrence for Vladimir Putin to personally welcome people off a plane. But last night was different.

He stayed at Moscow airport to meet Russians he had managed to free from prisons in foreign countries as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and the West, the largest since the Cold War. 10 people got off the plane including spies, agents and a convicted murderer.

"Welcome to the motherland," Putin told them.

It seems clear that with this deal Moscow believes it has something to celebrate. A red carpet was laid out for the returnees and a guard of honor was held. There were bouquets of flowers and, above all, for some even hugs from the head of state.

Putin embraced Vadim Krasikov, the FSB assassin serving a life sentence in Germany for killing a Chechen dissident of Georgian origin. The Russian president promised them all state honors.

"I want to address all of you who have a direct connection with military service. Thank you for your loyalty to your oath and duty to the motherland, which has not forgotten you for a single moment," said Putin.

There is another message that the pro-Kremlin press is already highlighting. Salvation for those in foreign prisons.

"Eight Russians who were imprisoned in NATO countries have returned to their motherland in exchange for individuals who acted to the detriment of Russia's national security," the government newspaper said.

Referring to the dissidents released by Moscow, the newspaper Komsomolkaya Pravda claims that they "buried their homeland and went to those who hired them".

And so there are attempts to discredit the critics and opponents of the government, while praising the loyalty of the supporters of the government who are portrayed as true patriots. This makes the authorities to "sell" the exchange of prisoners as a success for the Kremlin.

There is no doubt that the Kremlin sees this issue as a victory for Moscow. She got what she wanted, her agents, including the person who was number 1 on her wish list, Krasikov.

German authorities were initially reluctant to release a convicted murderer who a German court concluded had acted on behalf of Russian authorities. This reluctance softened as the deal took shape.

But why was it necessary for the Kremlin to rescue Vadim Krasikov and bring him home? The Russian media give us a clue.

"We are bringing our sons home", is the main headline of the government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

"We do not abandon our own," writes the pro-Putin tabloid, Komsomolskaya Pravda

This is exactly the message the Kremlin wants to send to agents and spies. If we send you on a mission overseas and things go wrong, we'll find a way to get you home.