#prisonerswap

“Ukraine secured the release of 205 service members from Russian captivity on May 15, marking the first phase of a large-scale “1,000-for-1,000” exchange.” ~ @kyivindependent_official 🇺🇦👏💙💛🙏🇺🇦

#Repost @kyivindependent_official with @use.repost_ . . . Ukraine secured the release of 205 service members from Russian captivity on May 15, marking the first phase of a large-scale “1,000-for-1,000” exchange. The group includes soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, and State Border Guard Service, many of whom were captured in 2022 during the defense of Mariupol, Azovstal, and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

“We will continue to fight for every person who still remains in captivity,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. He credited the success of the swap to the “exchange fund” replenished by Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines and the support of international partners.

Photo: Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War; President Volodymyr Zelensky / Telegram.

US Releases Russian Bitcoin Fraud Suspect as Belarus Frees American Teacher. Washington, D.C., February 12, 2025 – In a significant diplomatic move, the United States has agreed to release Alexander Vinnik, a Russian citizen accused of money laundering, in exchange for Marc Fogel, an American teacher detained in Russia. The exchange, which took place earlier this week, has been hailed as a step…

Marc Fogel exchange: Kremlin won't yet reveal Russian the U.S. agreed to free

POWs Freed

Saudi Arabia has successfully freed 10 prisoners who had been held by Russian-backed forces, together with two American veterans and 5 British residents, as a part of a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine, CNN reports.

The families of American vets Alexander John-Robert Drueke and Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh have confirmed that two are “are safely in the custody of the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia” awaiting clearance to return to the states. Both had been captured in June while fighting on behalf of Ukraine north of Kharkiv.

British Prime Minister Liz Truss tweeted in celebration of the release of 5 British citizens who had been also a part of the group of prisoners. Truss wrote, “Hugely welcome news that 5 British nationals held by Russian-backed proxies in eastern Ukraine are being safely returned, ending months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families.”

Diana Shaw, a spokesperson for both families, released a statement confirming the release of the 2 Americans. In it, Shaw stated, “We deeply appreciate everyone’s prayers and especially the close communication and support of our elected officials, Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova, and our members of the U.S. embassies in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Department of State.”

The families weren’t aware that authorities had been brokering the prisoner exchange. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the release of 10 POWS on Wednesday. The group additionally included Moroccan, Swedish, and Croatian nationals.

American Mark Frerichs has been released in a prisoner swap after being held captive in Afghanistan for over two years, a senior Biden administration official confirmed Monday, per CNN.

“Bringing Mark home has been a top priority for President Biden and his national security team,” the official informed CNN.

Frerichs’ release was orchestrated as part of a swap for Haji Bashir Noorzai, a notable member of the Taliban, who served 17 years in a U.S. jail on drug trafficking charges.

Frerichs, a Navy veteran from Illinois, was kidnapped in January 2020 while working on contracted construction work in Afghanistan. His kidnapping occurred a couple of weeks before the U.S. signed a peace deal with the Taliban. He was allegedly held by a faction of the Taliban referred to as the Haqqani network, and is presently in Doha, Qatar.

The Biden administration spent months negotiating the swap with Taliban representatives. The decision to grant Noorzai clemency was not a simple one, however Biden agreed in June when it became clear it will be necessary to secure Frerichs’ release.

For his part, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken celebrated the successful swap. He stated the U.S. would “bring the same determination and focus” used to free Frerichs to assist other Americans who have been “arbitrarily and unjustly detained,” per CNN.