(SAN ANTONIO) — The former Marine who spent more than 2,000 days in Russian custody spoke out after a historic, multi-country prisoner swap allowed him and three others to return to the U.S.

Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva deplaned shortly before 4:30 a.m. eastern at Joint Base San Antonio, officially marking the beginning of their next chapter, free and back home in the United States.

The three embraced one another for a photo surrounded by their loved ones and held up the Hostages and Wrongful Detainees flag.

“This is us down here,” Whelan said pointing to three slash marks on the bottom of the flag, “Those last three, that’s us.”

Upon their arrival, they were greeted by officials who gave them instructions on immediate next steps. Col. Davis explained that they would first send them for a medical assessment while their families stayed overnight in hotels off base.

Whelan wore the American flag pin given to him by President Biden at Joint Base Andrews — “It’s a keepsake.”

Whelan criticized the “nonsense narrative [the Russian government] came up with” for his imprisonment.

“So, you know, this is how Putin runs his government. This is how Putin runs his country. Yeah, I’m glad I’m home. Yeah. I’m never going back there again,” he said, with a smile.

He also said he had received thousands of letters of support, so many that the Russian Federal Security Service “stopped giving them to him.”

“I just say thank you to everybody. You know, thank you for all your prayers, your your, you know, good wishes. Thanks for doing everything you did,” he said.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greeted the three Americans freed from Russian custody as they arrived back on American soil and reunited with their families.

Biden hugged Paul Whelan and the vice president greeted the former Marine as he arrived on the tarmac. Whelan’s sister, Elizabeth Whelan, also on the tarmac awaiting his arrival when he landed.

When Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich arrived on the tarmac, a cheer erupted. He and Biden shook hands and spoke for some time before a long and emotional hug took place between the journalist and his mother, Ella Milman, who was picked up during their embrace at one point.

Alsu Kurmasheva was also welcomed by Biden and Harris. In an emotional moment, she was reunited with her daughters before Biden came over and talked to them as they hugged.

Biden interacted very freely with the press, taking the chance to speak to reporters multiple times on the tarmac.

When asked by a reporter whether he ever thought this moment would come, Biden’s simple reply was “yes.” And when asked what made him so confident, he said it was his relationships with the “other heads of state.”

Biden was also subsequently asked what was his message to Vladmir Putin after the former prisoners were back on American soil.

“Stop,” Biden said.

Biden also said that the scene playing out behind him was the “essence” of America.

“To me, this is about the essence of who we are as a country. It really is about personal relationships,” Biden said. “It’s about family. It’s about being able to have access to the people you love.”

One reporter asked him what the hardest part of securing the deal was.

“The toughest call was for one of the other countries because I asked them to do some things that were against their immediate self-interest,” said Biden. “It was really very difficult for them do, particularly Germany. Slovenia really came at the last minute and I tell you what, [the] chancellor was incredible.”

Biden was also asked about whether he was making calls to secure this deal within the hour that he announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.

“I would get this done even if I was seeking a second term. You’re stuck with me as president for a while, kid, there’s no way out, okay,” Biden said. “You got me for at least another 100 — 90 days or so. So it had to do with that. It had to do with the opportunity trying to convince one last country to say okay, they’ll step up.”

When asked about whether this deal would be part of his legacy, Biden sidestepped, saying it’s something to talk about “another time.”

As of Wednesday, the Park Fire, which officials said was deliberately started on July 24 and spread through Butte, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama counties in Northern California, had grown to 389,791 acres — which sent it leapfrogging over the 2020 Creek Fire, which tore through Central California’s Sierra National Forest, to become the fifth largest wildfire in state history, officials said.

The Park Fire has destroyed 361 structures, including homes and commercial property, and damaged another 36 structures in a path of destruction that started in Bidwell Park near the city of Chico and spread about 90 miles north to the Lassen National Forest, according to Cal Fire.

More than 5,800 firefighters are fighting the Park Fire from the air and ground. At least 3,800 people have been forced to evacuate their homes, according to Cal Fire.

Meanwhile, the suspect arrested on suspicion of starting the Park Fire was formally arraigned on Monday. Ronnie Dean Stout II, 42, of Chico, was charged with felony arson with an enhancement of special circumstances due to prior convictions. His arraignment was continued to Thursday, when he is expected to enter a plea. Stout was ordered to be held without bail.

Stout was allegedly spotted just before 3 p.m. PT on July 24 pushing a burning car down a gully called “Alligator Hole” in Bidwell Park, near Chico, sparking the Park Fire, prosecutors said.

Weather conditions in the Chico area will be heating up in the coming days. The high temperatures in the area are forecast to climb into the upper 90s on Wednesday and reach triple digits by Thursday and into the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

The Nixon Fire in Southern California

California firefighters were confronting 20 active blazes on Wednesday, including seven that started on Monday and Tuesday. Among the biggest new fires is the Nixon Fire that ignited around 12:30 p.m. local time on Monday off Richard Nixon Boulevard in Riverside County, northeast of the town of Aguanga, according to Cal Fire.

As of Wednesday morning, the Nixon Fire had grown to 4,941 acres and was 5% contained, according to Cal Fire.

At least five structures in the fire zone were damaged or destroyed, but it was unclear if they were homes. More than 900 structures were being threatened by the fire, according to Cal Fire.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents in the area.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

More than 700 fire personnel, including 44 fire engine crews, two helicopter crews and numerous firefighting air tankers, were battling the fire on Wednesday.

Smoke spreading across the Northwest

The fires in the West are spreading smoke across the Northwest.

By Wednesday afternoon, the smoke is expected to remain heavy in the Northern California region, but farther east, it will be pushed south.

Medium to heavy smoke is possible from Salt Lake City to Denver on Wednesday afternoon, while places farther north that have been under heavy smoke for days will finally get a break as they get rainfall and cooler temperatures.

Air quality alerts were issued for Boise, Idaho, and Denver due to the smoky conditions, officials said.

Red flag warnings signaling elevated fire danger were issued for at least Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado.

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