The POWs have been launched and transferred to Saudi Arabia as a part of a Russia-Ukraine change mediated by the Saudi crown prince.
Ten prisoners of warfare from nations together with america and Britain have been launched and transferred to Saudi Arabia as a part of an change between Russia and Ukraine, the Gulf kingdom mentioned on Wednesday.
The discharge got here following mediation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, “in continuation of [his] dedication to the humanitarian initiatives in direction of the Russian-Ukrainian disaster”, the Saudi overseas ministry mentioned.
The group contains 5 British nationals, two People, a Croatian, a Moroccan and a Swedish nationwide, the ministry mentioned in a press release, including {that a} aircraft carrying the prisoners landed within the kingdom.
The Saudi assertion mentioned they’d arrived from Russia and that Saudi authorities had been “facilitating procedures for his or her secure return to their respective nations”.
The ministry didn’t determine the prisoners.
Nevertheless, British lawmaker Robert Jenrick mentioned Aiden Aslin was amongst these launched. Aslin was captured earlier this 12 months then sentenced to loss of life by a courtroom within the self-proclaimed Donetsk Individuals’s Republic (DPR), one among Russia’s proxies in jap Ukraine.
Russia additionally launched US residents Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, a household consultant advised Reuters on Wednesday.
The pair, each from Alabama, had been captured in June whereas preventing in jap Ukraine the place they went to help Ukrainian troops resisting Russia’s invasion.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss hailed the discharge of the British nationals on Twitter as “massively welcome information” after “months of uncertainty and struggling for them and their households”.
Vastly welcome information that 5 British nationals held by Russian-backed proxies in jap Ukraine are being safely returned, ending months of uncertainty and struggling for them and their households.
— Liz Truss (@trussliz) September 21, 2022
Truss mentioned they’d been “held by Russian-backed proxies in jap Ukraine”, and thanked each Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Saudi Arabia for serving to free them.
Massive numbers of foreigners have travelled to Ukraine to struggle since Russia’s February 24 invasion. A few of them have been caught by Russian forces, together with different foreigners within the nation who say they weren’t fighters.
Swedish International Minister Ann Linde mentioned on Twitter that the Swedish citizen, held in Donetsk, “has now been exchanged and is effectively”. She additionally thanked Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.
The Swedish citizen detained in Donetsk has now been exchanged and is effectively. I’ve labored carefully with my Ukrainian colleague and wish to lengthen my deepest gratitude. A heat thanks additionally goes to Saudi Arabia.
— Ann Linde (@AnnLinde) September 21, 2022
Prince Mohammed bin Salman has maintained shut ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with inside the framework of the OPEC+ oil producers group, regardless of heavy strain from Washington, Riyadh’s conventional ally, to isolate Russia.
Each Ukrainian and Russian forces have captured lots of of enemy fighters because the begin of the battle, with a handful of prisoner exchanges having taken place.
The top of the United Nations human rights mission in Ukraine mentioned earlier this month that Russia was not permitting entry to prisoners of warfare (POWs), including that the UN had proof that some had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment that might quantity to warfare crimes.
Russia denies torture or different types of maltreatment of POWs.