Two Russian dissidents released in a prisoner swap on Thursday have said they refused to sign a petition for mercy to be sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin as requested by prison officials.
During a news conference in Germany, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Ilya Yashin said they did not admit guilt nor give Russian officials their consent to be removed, and vowed to return home one day.
Mr Kara-Murza said the deal had saved “16 human lives” and that he had been convinced he would die in prison.
He added that many Russians were “opposed to Putin’s war in Ukraine”.
The two men were released as part of the exchange, which saw 24 people jailed in seven different countries exchanged.
Those released by Russia included US journalist Evan Gerschkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.
The Russians released by Western nations included convicted assassin Vadim Krasikov, who had been serving a life sentence in Germany for killing a Georgian-born Chechen dissident in a Berlin park.
On Friday, Mr Kara-Murza and Mr Yashin – along with a third dissident, Andrei Pivovarov – pledged to continue working towards a “free” Russia and advocating on behalf of political prisoners still being held there.
Mr Yashin said he had “conflicting feelings” about the swap. While he expressed gratitude for those who worked to free him, he said his first desire when he arrived in Germany was to buy a ticket to return to Russia.
Mr Yashin told the BBC that it was “much more comfortable” for Mr Putin to have an exiled opposition “because the voice of opposition in prison always has much more weight than the voice in emigration”.
“I never imagined myself outside Russia,” he said. “I am eternally grateful for their help. But I am a guest here – and my main wish is to return to Russia.”
He added: “I’m not the only one who demanded not to be sent into exile… but no-one asked our opinion.”
However, he acknowledged that his return to Russia would make it more difficult to negotiate the exchange of other political prisoners and could intensify criticism of the German government, which he said had faced an “ethical dilemma” in releasing Krasikov.
Russian rights group Memorial says hundreds of political prisoners are currently held in prison.
While Mr Pivovarov argued the latest swap was a “sign of light” for them that release was possible, Mr Kara-Murza said the exchange was a “drop in the ocean, because so many innocent people who’ve never committed a crime in their life are being held in torturous conditions”.
Mr Kara-Murza, a dual Russian and British citizen, said he was held in solitary confinement for more than 10 months – and was only able to talk to his wife over the phone once during two-and-a-half years of imprisonment.
“I did not believe I would ever see my wife again,” he recalled. “I did not believe I’d ever see my family again and this feels really surreal. This feels like a film.”
The political activist said he thought he might be shot on the day of his release – only realising what was happening when he saw the other imprisoned dissidents.
He recounted how, sitting on the plane out of Russia, a man he identified as a government agent told him it was the last time he would see his homeland.
Mr Kara-Murza said he responded: “I know that I will be back in my home country.”
Sasha Skochilenko, another Russian dissident and artist among those freed told BBC Newshour that she also believed she was going to be killed on the day of her release.
Ms Skochilenko said she was in “shock” and “on adrenaline” as a now-free woman.
“I’m so glad, I’m so happy and I’m so grateful”, she continued. “I’m finally with my beloved family, with my girlfriend, my fiancée. We’re going to marry. We finally can do it in Germany… This is the happiest day of my life”.
The freed dissidents also paid tribute to Alexei Navalny, a leading critic of Mr Putin who died in prison in February after Russian officials said he became unwell.
The White House said on Thursday that Mr Navalny had been due to be included in a deal.
Mr Yashin said: “The fact that Alexei Navalny is not with us is a crime committed by Putin, who bears direct responsibility for his murder.”
Mr Kara-Murza said he wanted “to remind people in democratic countries that Russia and Putin are not the same thing”.
“I will absolutely carry on,” he told the BBC following the news conference.
“I care about my country – and I think Russia deserves better than a corrupt KGB dictator. I want to make sure that Russia becomes… a normal, modern, democratic country.”