US man left out of Russia prisoner swap says diplomats ‘signed death warrant’

Retired marine Paul Whelan, held in Russia, says decision not to include him in past two swaps painted a target on my back'

A retired US marine jailed in Russia nearly five years ago on espionage charges his country says are bogus has told the top American diplomat that being omitted from the White House's past two prisoner swaps with the Kremlin at best painted a target" on his back.

In comments to CNN published on Tuesday, Paul Whelan said he used a phone call in August with Antony Blinken to tell the US secretary of state point blank that leaving me here the first time painted a target on my back".