text:  They also note that Kirshkovich was on a reporting assignment with official accreditation from Russia's foreign ministry at the time of his arrest in March of last year. The guilty verdict was never in doubt. Nearly all Russian criminal cases end in conviction, yet the unusual speed of the proceedings will fuel speculation that the U.S. and Russia are closing in on a potential prisoner swap. Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow. This is NPR.