allianz travel agent academy

• Our history
• Allianz Advantage
• Global footprint
• Social responsibility
• Travel protection
• Tuition protection
• Event ticket protection
• Bankcard services
• Assistance services
• Technology solutions
• Allianz Fusion
• Allyz TravelSmart
• Stories & insights
• In the news
• Press releases
• Vacation confidence index
• Internships

Allianz Partners Launches “Allianz Advantage” Website for Agency Partners

The new allianzadvantage.com is a one-stop resource for travel advisors.

Specifically, the new website offers a consistent, consolidated ecosystem for new and existing advisors, inclusive of materials and training, and provides self-service options to find answers to questions and read about products, technology partnerships and events. It also highlights advisor community success stories and serves as a gateway to travel insurance booking tools that include AgentMax, QuoteMax and MaxMail.

The website’s main sections are:

• The Media Center , which:
• Highlights advisor and customer stories
• Provides news and updates about products, technology, awards and other news from and about Allianz Partners
• Gives details of industry events and webinars, including those sponsored by Allianz Partners
• Shares Allianz Partners blog posts, articles, audio and video for advisors
• The Help Center , which:
• Provides details about and access to the AgentMax Online platform, including QuoteMax and MaxMail, the Digital Brochure Tool, Sherpa destination requirements and the TravelSmart mobile app
• Provides formal training through Travel Agent Academy and the Advisor Handbook
• Provides marketing resources for advisors, such as banners and social and web copy
•  The Become a Partner tool, which allows advisors and travel suppliers to sign up as a partner and offer travel insurance to customers.

The new AllianzAdvantage.com shows how Allianz’s sophisticated marketing, reliable delivery of products and services and a stellar brand reputation can accelerate partners‘ growth through greater customer loyalty and repeat purchases. These capabilities, along with a robust and award-winning customer experience program, may allow travel supplier partners to harness the power of the continued travel rebound to grow their businesses to levels that equal and exceed even their strongest years.

“We’re proud to offer some of the best travel insurance tools in the business, including our award-winning AgentMax online booking platform, marketing tools such as QuoteMax and MaxMail and our powerful new digital brochure platform,“ said Richard Aquino, vice president and head of sales at Allianz Partners USA. “The new AllianzAdvantage.com offers one-stop access to these tools and serves as the gateway to our Sherpa destinations guide, our new travel advisor handbook and the latest marketing resources for travel advisors.  Having all of these resources under one roof will allow our partners to effectively and efficiently offer travel insurance for the benefit of both their valued clients and their business.”

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance** through leading travel agents, online travel agencies, other travel suppliers, directly to consumers and through major U.S. airlines. For additional information, please visit www.allianztravelinsurance.com .

Press contact

FINN Partners Robin Magrisi / [email protected]       Megan Derks / [email protected]                             

About Allianz Partners Allianz Partners is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company with operation centers in 35 countries. In the United States, Allianz Partners USA (AGA Service Company) offers Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans and serves millions of customers each year. In addition to travel protection, the company offers event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for property and casualty insurers and credit card companies. AGA Service Company is doing business as Allianz Global Assistance Insurance Agency in California (License # 0B01400) and Massachusetts.

**For Allianz Partners USA products offered and sold in the U.S.: Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Availability of Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, including specific benefits and covered reasons described here, varies by product and by state. Products may not include all benefits or covered reasons described here. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan’s Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101‐C series or 101‐P series, depending on state of residence. Except as otherwise specified, AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance, AgentMax, QuoteMax, MaxMail, TravelSmart, and AgentSmart are marks of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance and assistance services. Sherpa destination content is provided by Sherpa, an unaffiliated third party. Allianz Global Assistance is not responsible for and does not warrant the information or services provided by Sherpa. Allianz Global Assistance may receive compensation for visas or other purchases made through Sherpa. Except as indicated above, noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance. All claims subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions. 

Allianz Partners Launches “Allianz Advantage” Website For Agency Partners

The new AllianzAdvantage.com is a one-stop resource for travel advisors

Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2023 – Travel insurance and travel assistance provider Allianz Partners USA has launched its AllianzAdvantage.com website for travel advisors, creating a new one-stop portal to everything advisors need to successfully offer Allianz Travel Insurance products. New tools add to advisors ability to drive customer satisfaction, cement their role in the travel planning process and gain repeat business and customer loyalty by demonstrating the value of Allianz travel protection products, services and technology.

Specifically, the new website offers a consistent, consolidated ecosystem for new and existing advisors, inclusive of materials and training, and provides self-service options to find answers to questions and read about products, technology partnerships and events. It also highlights advisor community success stories and serves as a gateway to travel insurance booking tools that include AgentMax, QuoteMax and MaxMail. 

The website’s main sections are: 

• Highlights advisor and customer stories 
• Provides news and updates about products, technology, awards and other news from and about Allianz Partners 
• Gives details of industry events and webinars, including those sponsored by Allianz Partners 
• Shares Allianz Partners blog posts, articles, audio and video for advisors 
• Provides details about and access to the AgentMax Online platform, including QuoteMax and MaxMail, the Digital Brochure Tool, Sherpa destination requirements and the TravelSmart mobile app 
• Provides formal training through Travel Agent Academy and the Advisor Handbook  
• Provides marketing resources for advisors, such as banners and social and web copy 
• The Become a Partner tool, which allows advisors and travel suppliers to sign up as a partner and offer travel insurance to customers. 

The new AllianzAdvantage.com shows how Allianz’s sophisticated marketing, reliable delivery of products and services and a stellar brand reputation can accelerate partners‘ growth through greater customer loyalty and repeat purchases. These capabilities, along with a robust and award-winning customer experience program, may allow travel supplier partners to harness the power of the continued travel rebound to grow their businesses to levels that equal and exceed even their strongest years.  

“We’re proud to offer some of the best travel insurance tools in the business, including our award-winning AgentMax online booking platform, marketing tools such as QuoteMax and MaxMail and our powerful new digital brochure platform,“ said Richard Aquino, vice president and head of sales at Allianz Partners USA. “The new AllianzAdvantage.com offers one-stop access to these tools and serves as the gateway to our Sherpa destinations guide, our new travel advisor handbook and the latest marketing resources for travel advisors.  Having all of these resources under one roof will allow our partners to effectively and efficiently offer travel insurance for the benefit of both their valued clients and their business.” 

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance** through leading travel agents, online travel agencies, other travel suppliers, directly to consumers and through major U.S. airlines. For additional information, please visit  www.allianztravelinsurance.com .  

About Allianz Partners  

Allianz Partners is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company with operation centers in 35 countries. In the United States, Allianz Partners USA (AGA Service Company) offers Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans and serves millions of customers each year. In addition to travel protection, the company offers event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for property and casualty insurers and credit card companies. AGA Service Company is doing business as Allianz Global Assistance Insurance Agency in California (License # 0B01400) and Massachusetts. 

**For Allianz Partners USA products offered and sold in the U.S.: Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Availability of Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, including specific benefits and covered reasons described here, varies by product and by state. Products may not include all benefits or covered reasons described here. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan’s Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101‐C series or 101‐P series, depending on state of residence. Except as otherwise specified, AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance, AgentMax, QuoteMax, MaxMail, TravelSmart, and AgentSmart are marks of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance and assistance services. Sherpa destination content is provided by Sherpa, an unaffiliated third party. Allianz Global Assistance is not responsible for and does not warrant the information or services provided by Sherpa. Allianz Global Assistance may receive compensation for visas or other purchases made through Sherpa. Except as indicated above, noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance. All claims subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions.  

• All Inclusive Resort
• Association and Events
• Host Agency
• Hotel and Resort
• River Cruising
• Tour Operator
• Sales and Marketing
• Your Travel Business
• Suppliers and Destinations
• Trade Associations and Events
• Free Downloads
• Your Travel Agency
• Destination
• Host Agency List

Add Travel Professional NEWS® to your Homescreen!

AgentMax—Built with you in mind

AgentMax has been helping travel agents like you increase their sales and income for more than a decade. Now, we've made our award-winning sales tool even easier to use. AgentMax Online gives you greater flexibility, efficiency, and an all-around better selling experience.

An easier way to sell

Reach your financial goals by booking more travel insurance policies.

• Create quotes faster and track sales with ease to earn more commissions—some of the highest in the industry
• Send automated 2nd Chance by MaxMail offers to customers who decline insurance so you’ll never miss a sale
• Put your logo and contact information in front of travelers with easy access to our brochure ordering tool and personalized marketing materials

A smarter selling tool

Work more efficiently while you’re in or out of the office.

• Work seamlessly with interconnected capabilities on your desktop, smartphone, and tablet—so AgentMax is on when you are
• Access customer information, saved quotes, and product details in seconds—you’re in, you’re out, and on to your next customer
• Enjoy an intuitive digital experience, a fast quote—creation process, and automated updates for hassle-free sales

A greater experience

Spend more time helping customers and keep them coming back.

• Focus more on your customers and less on the sales software—AgentMax is designed to maximize your time with travelers
• Help your customers find the value in having travel insurance with expert selling tips
• Keep your customer loyal and happy with your recommendation, to the tune of a 97% satisfaction rating

If you’re not already a partner, join our team and start selling with AgentMax.

Stay ahead of the competition.

These AgentMax features allow you to…

• Speed up payments and scan credit card information with the camera on your phone
• Use QuoteMax to make your website do more work for you, with a personalized, AgentMax-generated quote box
• Get the information you want, when you want it, with specialized reports
• Recommend the best products for your customers with expert selling tips based on trip information

With all the improvements that are happening, there has never been a better time to put the power of AgentMax Online to work for you.

Coming soon

• Take advantage of Apollo/Sabre GDS Integration to streamline your sales process
• Enjoy newly expanded settings that make it easier for agents to manage their accounts
• Access group functionality within AgentMax Online
• Receive timely agent notifications so you’re always up to date with your customers

The word is in: AgentMax voted best in class by agents like you

2016 Gold Magellan Awards

AgentMax: Travel Agent Organizations Overall, Travel Insurance

Individual Travel Agent Overall, Travel Insurance

2017 Silver Magellan Awards

AgentMax Online by Allianz: Travel Agent Organizations Overall, Travel Insurance

Questions you might have about AgentMax Online

Why agentmax online.

• The online version of AgentMax was specifically designed to work on any device.
• We’ve streamlined the process to make it faster and easier to create a quote.
• Passwords are required to accommodate increased security.
• You can quote, buy, modify/cancel travel insurance plans, order brochures, access the waiver, see News & Resources, and set up 2nd Chance by MaxMail.

How do we set up AgentMax Online?

• Simply log into the client version, click Tools, and select AgentMax Online from the drop-down menu.
• Enter your email address and ACCAM number in the corresponding fields.
• Click the “Verify” button to confirm the information you provided.
• You will receive an email from [email protected].
• Click the “Verify” button within the above email.

It's that easy!

Do I have to choose between the AgentMax software and online version?

No, you can use BOTH the online and software versions interchangeably. The online and software versions are connected, so all of your bookings can be viewed in both.

Is AgentMax Online right for me?

With all its features, benefits, and enhanced capabilities, AgentMax Online is the right solution for all agents, and with its continuous improvements it will become the only resource you need.

How does the product recommendation feature work?

Based on customers’ trip details, this feature provides specific product recommendations for quotes to either agents via AgentMax Online or to customers directly via QuoteMax.

What is QuoteMax?

QuoteMax is a tool that can be uniquely generated and put on your agency website(s) to enable customers to buy insurance directly while still crediting the agency.

Is reporting available in AgentMax Online?

Yes, reports can be generated from the new “Reports” tab, and just as in the software version, earnings can be tracked.

Hit the ground running

Enhance your customer’s purchase experience with MaxMail: Send cobranded emails with personalized quotes and have trip details conveniently pre-filled at checkout—making it easier for customers to protect their vacations. Whether they contact you or complete the purchase online, you automatically get credit for the sale.

Increase the likelihood of landing a sale with 2nd Chance by MaxMail: Set up a series of automated follow-up emails that will be sent to customers who have declined insurance. Then sit back and let the sales come to you by switching on the global setting for everyone who has not yet protected their trip.

Effortlessly boost your business’ bottom line with QuoteMax: Add a quote box to your website in just a few clicks so it can work harder for you. When customers use it to purchase travel insurance, you automatically get full credit for the easy sales.

Step-by-step training to get you started: To help you get the most out of your account, we’ve created a printable training guide to walk you through all the updated features.

Ready to put our award-winning sales platform to work for you? Watch this quick demo for help creating your AgentMax Online account. Follow four simple steps to get signed in and start taking advantage of automatic revenue generating tools like second-chance emails and a quote widget for your website.

Make the most out of your AgentMax Online account: Find out how to get a quick quote, view and manage policies, and order customized brochures. Plus, boost your selling potential by setting up automated 2nd Chance by MaxMail emails, adding a quote widget to your website, and seamlessly integrating your Clientbase system for easy invoicing.

Step-by-step guide for connecting to ClientBase: Managing your customer data when booking travel insurance just got easier. Use this easy setup guide to connect AgentMax to either ClientBase Plus or ClientBase Online.

• Cover Letters
• Jobs I've Applied To
• Saved Searches
• Subscriptions

Marine Corps

Coast guard.

• Space Force
• Military Podcasts
• Benefits Home
• Military Pay and Money
• Veteran Health Care
• VA eBenefits
• Veteran Job Search
• Military Skills Translator
• Upload Your Resume
• Veteran Employment Project
• Vet Friendly Employers
• Career Advice
• Military Life Home
• Military Trivia Game
• Veterans Day
• Spouse & Family
• Military History
• Discounts Home
• Featured Discounts
• Veterans Day Restaurant Discounts
• Electronics
• Join the Military Home
• Contact a Recruiter
• Military Fitness

Marine Veteran Paul Whelan Released in Major Prisoner Swap Between US, Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan , along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza , in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free, the White House said.

Astonishing in scope, the trade followed years of secretive back-channel negotiations despite relations between Washington and Moscow being at their lowest point since the Cold War after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine .

The deal was the latest in a series of prisoner swaps negotiated between Russia and the U.S. in the past two years but the first to require significant concessions from other countries, with seven nations agreeing to give up 24 prisoners. It was trumpeted as a “diplomatic feat” by President Joe Biden, who called the news an “incredible relief” and said the detainees' “brutal ordeal was over.”

“Today is a powerful example of why it’s vital to have friends in this world,” he said in an address from the White House while joined by families of four — three Americans and one green card holder — who were released.

But the welcome news was still sure to spark concerns over the imbalance of the deal — with Russia freeing journalists, dissidents and others convicted in a highly politicized court system in exchange for people the West regards as rightfully charged — and whether it gives foreign actors seeking leverage over the U.S. an incentive to take prisoners.

Under the deal, Russia released Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who was jailed in 2023 and convicted in July of espionage charges that he and the U.S. vehemently denied and called baseless; Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive jailed since 2018, also on espionage charges he and Washington have denied; and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva , a dual U.S.-Russian citizen convicted in July of spreading false information about the Russian military, accusations her family and employer have rejected.

Emma Tucker, the Journal's top editor, called it a “day of great joy” and said: “I cannot even begin to describe the happiness and relief that this news brings and I know all of you wil feel the same.”

Biden placed securing the release of Americans held wrongfully overseas at the top of his foreign policy agenda for the six months before he leaves office. In his Oval Office address to the American people discussing his recent decision to drop his bid for a second term, the Democrat said, “We’re also working around the clock to bring home Americans being unjustly detained all around the world.”

In addition to Kara-Murza, a Kremlin critic and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer serving 25 years on charges of treason widely seen as politically motivated, the Russians released included Oleg Orlov, co-chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights group Memorial, and associates of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny . Five German citizens also were released, including a German national held in Belarus.

The Russian side got Vadim Krasikov , who was convicted in Germany in 2021 of killing a former Chechen rebel in a Berlin park two years earlier, apparently on the orders of Moscow’s security services.

Russia also received two alleged sleeper agents who were jailed in Slovenia, as well as three men charged by federal authorities in the U.S., including Roman Seleznev, a convicted computer hacker and the son of a Russian lawmaker , and Vadim Konoshchenok, a suspected Russian intelligence operative accused of providing American-made electronics and ammunition to the Russian military. Norway returned an academic arrested on suspicions of being a Russian spy , and Poland also sent back a man it detained.

Thursday’s swap of 24 prisoners surpassed a deal involving 14 people that was struck in 2010. In that exchange, Washington freed 10 Russians living in the U.S. as sleepers, while Moscow deported four Russians, including Sergei Skripal , a double agent working with British intelligence. He and his daughter in 2018 were nearly killed in Britain by nerve agent poisoning blamed on Russian agents.

Speculation had mounted for weeks that a swap was near because of a confluence of unusual developments, including a startingly quick trial and conviction for Gershkovich , which Washington regarded as a sham. He was sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security prison.

In a trial that concluded in two days in secrecy in the same week as Gershkovich’s, Kurmasheva was convicted on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military that her family, employer and U.S. officials rejected.

Also in recent days, several other figures imprisoned in Russia for speaking out against the war in Ukraine or over their work with Navalny were moved from prison to unknown locations.

Gershkovich was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. The son of Soviet emigres who settled in New Jersey, he moved to Russia in 2017 to work for The Moscow Times newspaper before being hired by the Journal in 2022.

He had more than a dozen closed hearings over the extension of his pretrial detention or appeals for his release. He was taken to the courthouse in handcuffs and appeared in the defendants’ cage, often smiling for the many cameras.

U.S. officials last year made an offer to swap Gershkovich that was rejected by Russia, and Biden’s Democratic administration had not made public any possible deals since then.

Gershkovich was designated as wrongfully detained, as was Whelan, who was detained in December 2018 after traveling to Russia for a wedding. Whelan was convicted of espionage charges, which he and the U.S. have also said were false and trumped up, and he was serving a 16-year prison sentence.

Whelan had been excluded from prior high-profile deals involving Russia, including the April 2022 swap by Moscow of imprisoned Marine veteran Trevor Reed for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot convicted in a drug trafficking conspiracy. That December, the U.S. released notorious arms trafficker Viktor Bout in exchange for getting back WNBA star Brittney Griner, who’d been jailed on drug charges.

Litvinova reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

You May Also Like

At the Paris Games, Ukrainians harnessed different ways to share their story — from evocative art exhibits to Olympians using...

There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage.

The changes have been met with skepticism by some past and present Coasties.

A new investigation by a Senate subcommittee found that Coast Guard leaders often fail to handle reports of sexual assault...

Military News

• Investigations and Features
• Military Opinion

Select Service

• National Guard

Most Popular Military News

Tim Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard in Nebraska in 1981 and retired honorably in 2005 as the top enlisted soldier...

William L. Calley Jr., as a young U.S. Army lieutenant, became a central figure in the My Lai massacre, one of the most...

Earlier this year, the service put quality of life -- including barracks improvements -- at the top of its priority wish list...

Pilots, military aviation experts and family members are voicing concerns about a recently released investigation report into...

The San Antonio-based company moved to settle a three-year-old class-action suit over alleged violations of the...

Latest Benefits Info

• The GI Bill Can Pay for Testing
• VA Fertility Benefits for Military Veterans
• The Next Deadline for Backdated PACT Act Payments Is Coming Soon. Here’s What You Need to Know
• Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI): What You Need to Know
• Using Your GI Bill For Graduate School

More Military Headlines

"Unfortunately, we have learned from generations of veterans the creeping, silent danger of toxic exposures."

• 2 Army Contractors Killed in Aviation Accidents at Fort Novosel, Fort Belvoir
• National Guard Units Activated in Southeast as Tropical Storm Debby Floods Towns, Claims Lives
• Surprise Bills: Military Families, Advocates Fight Unexpected Base Housing Move-Out Fees
• Pilots, Family Members Say Crew Is Being Unfairly Blamed for November's Deadly Air Force Osprey Crash
• National Guard Has New Acting Boss as Nominations Sit in Senate
• Iranian Brothers Charged in Alleged Smuggling Operation that Led to Deaths of 2 Navy SEALs
• Prosecutors Drop Assault Case Against Naval Academy Midshipman, Ending Nearly 3-Year Saga
• As Tensions Simmer in the Middle East, Pentagon Redirects Carrier Strike Group to the Area

Military Benefits Updates

• Fertility Benefits for Active-Duty Service Members
• A Marine Corps Veteran Goes to War with Corrupt Local Cops in 'Rebel Ridge'
• 'Morale Crush': Some Marines Languish in Hot Barracks as Temperatures Around the World Heat Up
• Local California Police Arrest 2 After Finding Stolen Items in Shuttered Marine Corps Facility
• US Coast Guard Academy Works to Change its Culture Following Sexual Abuse and Harassment Scandal
• Sexual Assault, Harassment and Retaliation Against Victims 'Pervasive' in Coast Guard, Senate Investigation Finds
• 'It's for Every Girl Everywhere': Radio Host Campaigns for Coast Guard Barbie

Entertainment

• 'Zero Day': New 10-Part Series Imagines What a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Might Actually Look Like
• New Documentary Follows LA Veterans Who Face Homelessness, Hopelessness and Hunger While the VA Fails to Act

Children of spies only discovered they were Russian on the plane to Moscow, Kremlin says

Why did Russian President Vladimir Putin greet the children of just-freed Russian spies in Spanish?

The reason is straight out of an episode of the hit TV spy show “The Americans.”

Among the first prisoners stepping off the plane to greet President Putin was a slender brown-haired woman grasping the hand of her young daughter. She appeared to stifle a sob as she hugged Putin. He handed her a bouquet of pink flowers, and another to her daughter. Putin also hugged her husband and kissed their son.

Then, over the din of the airplane, Putin could be heard greeting the children with “buenas noches” — the Spanish phrase for “good evening.”

Their parents were undercover Russian spies who posed as Argentinian citizens living in Slovenia and went by the names Ludwig Gisch and Maria Rosa Mayer Muños. They were part of Thursday's massive prisoner swap involving several countries.

In “The Americans,” two Russian spies posing as a married couple in suburban America run Soviet agents and collect intelligence, unbeknownst to their young children. And the complex , controversial , Cold War-style prisoner swap from this week included at least one storyline seemingly written for it.

The two children, whose names have not been released, were swept up in a sprawling geopolitical world of stolen intelligence , kidnapped Westerners and historic deals , punctuated by the scene on the tarmac that analysts say could play into the Kremlin’s efforts to spin the prisoner swap as a propaganda win.

The former prisoners moved to Slovenia in 2017, according to T he Associated Press . The husband ran a startup. The wife had an online art gallery. Their actual names were Artem Viktorovich Dultsev and Anna Valerevna Dultseva.

The Dultsevas were two of the eight Russians imprisoned in the U.S. and Europe and traded for four Americans — including Evan Gershkovitch and Paul Whelan — five Germans and seven Russian political prisoners released to the West.

According to the AP, the couple used Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital, as their base to travel to neighboring countries, relay orders from Moscow and bring cash to other Russian sleeper agents.

Their children attended an international school in Ljubljana and, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov , were only told on the plane to Moscow that they were Russian.

"Before that, they did not know that they were Russian, that they had anything to do with our country," Peskov said in a statement on Friday.

“They asked their parents yesterday who this guy was meeting them, they didn’t even know who Putin was,” Peskov said, before praising intelligence officers who "make such sacrifices for the sake of their work, for the sake of devotion to the cause."

That message — that Russian agents do important work for the motherland and that Moscow will always fight to get them back — is central to why President Putin will believe he scored a propaganda victory.

In this era, described by some as a new Cold War, the Kremlin needs professional spies willing to dedicate their life. Putin, himself a former KGB officer, is sending a message not just to the Russian people but to his intelligence agencies, the Federal Security Service, or FSB, and the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

Putin is demonstrating “to the spies and murderers that he is akin to their father, which means there is hope that they will serve him even more zealously,” Abbas Gallyamov, a Russian political analyst and former Putin speechwriter turned critic, wrote on Telegram.

“To the bulk of the Russian public, the Russian president showed that he has not yet lost the remnants of adequacy and is capable of well-calculated, rational actions,” Gallyamov said.

Artem Viktorovich Dultsev and Anna Valerevna Dultseva were arrested in Slovenia in 2022 and charged with espionage and using fake documents to register their firms. On Wednesday, the day before the swap was announced, they were sentenced to 19 months in prison each, after pleading guilty to spying charges.

In a speech delivered in the airport terminal to the returnees — which included spies as well as smugglers, cybercriminals and an assassin — Putin said: “I would like to thank you for the loyalty to your oath, your duty and your motherland, which has not forgotten you for even a minute.”

It's a message that's likely to be heard in hidden networks far beyond Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport.

Aurora Almendral is a London-based editor with NBC News Digital.

Keir Simmons is chief international correspondent for NBC News, based in Dubai.

Become a Registered Agent!

information

Password Strength:

mailing address

accreditation details

Please indicate the accreditation details you or your agency uses when making bookings with suppliers. *

Click here if you want to receive or continue to receive AgentatHome Magazine for FREE, the industry’s only magazine specifically geared towards helping the home-based travel agent.

Agents: need help?

Click here for answers to our Frequently Asked Questions

For further help and technical questions: Email Support

Shine the spotlight on your brand

Email Sales to find out how to get your content seen!

June 1, 2020

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after

Ukraine; Belarus; Moldova; North Korea; Russia; Israel

This is a test environment. Please proceed to AllianzTravelInsurance.com and remove all bookmarks or references to this site.

Use this tool to calculate all purchases like ski-lift passes, show tickets, or even rental equipment.

Destination Guide: Moscow

Get a Quote

{{travelBanText}} {{travelBanDateFormatted}}.

{{annualTravelBanText}} {{travelBanDateFormatted}}.

If your trip involves multiple destinations, please enter the destination where you’ll be spending the most time. It is not required to list all destinations on your policy.

Age of Traveler

Ages: {{quote.travelers_ages}}

If you were referred by a travel agent, enter the ACCAM number provided by your agent.

Travel Dates

{{quote.travel_dates ? quote.travel_dates : "Departure - Return" | formatDates}}

Plan Start Date

{{quote.start_date ? quote.start_date : "Date"}}

Share this Page

• {{errorMsgSendSocialEmail}}

Your browser does not support iframes.

Popular Travel Insurance Plans

• Annual Travel Insurance
• Cruise Insurance
• Domestic Travel Insurance
• International Travel Insurance
• Rental Car Insurance

View all of our travel insurance products

Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.

Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: 2 Mid America Plaza, Suite 200, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on your state of residence and plan chosen. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Plans only available to U.S. residents and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are marks of AGA Service Company dba Allianz Global Assistance or its affiliates. Allianz Travel Insurance products are distributed by Allianz Global Assistance, the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Any Non-Insurance Assistance services purchased are provided through AGA Service Company. Except as expressly provided under your plan, you are responsible for charges you incur from third parties. Contact AGA Service Company at  800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

Return To Log In

Your session has expired. We are redirecting you to our sign-in page.

about Guide to Russia | privacy | site map moscow academy of travel and hotel business, faculty of foreign languages