JAKARTA - The United States and Britain have expressed their gratitude to Saudi Arabia, along with the release of their citizens caught in the Russian-Ukraine war and face the death penalty.
Russia released nearly 300 prisoners, including fighters in Mariupol, as well as 10 foreign nationals fighting for Ukraine, with the release of 55 Russians, including Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a pro-Russian party facing treason charges.
Also released in the 10 foreign nationals are citizens of the United States and Britain. They were detained and threatened with punishment, some have even been sentenced to death.
Two US citizens, Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh of Alabama, were arrested last June while fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said some time ago he could not guarantee they would not be sentenced to death, as both were mercenaries and involved in illegal activities in Ukraine, as quoted by TASS.
"The United States welcomes a negotiated prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, which includes two US citizens who were arrested while serving in the Ukrainian military," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
"The United States respects Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations, and we hope these US citizens are reunited with their families."
Also released were British citizens Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and residents of Morocco Brahim Saadoun. All three were sentenced to death by a court in the Donetsk People's Republic that proclaimed itself.
"I don't see any excuses, prerequisites, for me to issue a pardon decision," said People's Republic leader Donetsk (DPR) Denis Pushilin last June.
However, they are now released. British Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday five British nationals detained by Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine were being returned to their families.
"The very welcome news that five British nationals detained by Russia-backed proxies in eastern Ukraine have been safely returned, ending the months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families," he wrote on Twitter.
He thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "for his efforts to release the prisoners, and Saudi Arabia for their help."
A Saudi Arabian official said that apart from Americans, British and Morocco, one Swedish and Croatian were also released, respectively.
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