Days after their arrest in June, the Kremlin announced that the both men American military veterans, they were suspected war criminals and refused to rule out that they could face the death penalty. In a phone call with his aunt Thursday, Drueke said that at the time, things were looking up “It could go either way. “That was one of those moments,” said the aunt, Diana Shaw, “where it was a punch in the gut for me.” The Americans were released on Wednesday as part of a prisoner swap between the governments of Kiev and Moscow, a deal as impressive as it was far-reaching. In addition to Drueke, 40, and Huynh, 28, the Russian government agreed to release eight other foreign nationals who had fought on behalf of Ukraine, plus 215 Ukrainians. Fifty-five Russian fighters were released in exchange, along with Viktor Medvedchuk, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian opposition politician who is on such warm terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Putin is believed to be the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter. Americans released due to major Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap Details of the sweeping agreement, brokered by participation from the governments of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, continued to flow out on Thursday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters covering the UN General Assembly in New York who exchanged prisoners was the result of the “diplomatic movement I conducted” with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling it is a “significant step” towards ending the war that began seven months ago, according to a transcript of his remarks carried by state media. Ankara too he played a key role in brokering a landmark deal this summer that allowed grain exports to resume after Russia’s naval blockade of Black Sea ports, but so far Erdogan has failed to secure a direct meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, where Drueke and Huynh are recovering, was also credited with facilitating the release of the foreign nationals. A senior member of the Saudi government said on Thursday Mohammed’s efforts demonstrate his “proactive role in strengthening humanitarian initiatives.” The US government expressed its gratitude to the crown prince for his efforts to secure the release of the two Americans, but relations between the two countries remain strained due to Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights and, notably, its suspected role of Mohammed as an arranger. the plot to assassinate Saudi American journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In Russia, there was anger among some nationalists who saw the deal as a betrayal. Medvedchuk was once seen as a potential replacement for Zelensky after Russian forces succeeded in toppling the government in Kyiv and installing a puppet regime. Several of the Ukrainians released in exchange for Medvedchuk and other Russians were members of the far-right Azov Regiment, a military force that Putin has branded Nazi. In Ukraine — where the Azov forces were located cheered for their courage during bloody Russia siege of Mariupol — agreement celebrated. A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy, said: “He’s telling Putin-elect to trade his partner and one of his long-term proxies in Ukraine, Medvedchuk, for the heroes of Mariupol.” . The move is further evidence of how the Russian leader is putting himself ahead of the interests of the Russian people. “Even so [war] it’s terrible for Ukraine … it’s terrible for the Russian people,” the official said. “Putin chose his own vain imperial ambition over the needs of his people.” Kyryl Budanov, who leads Ukraine’s chief military intelligence directorate said some of the freed Ukrainians had been “subjected to very severe torture” while in captivity. It is not clear whether Drueke and Huynh could stand such a thing treatment, although there is evidence that both went through stages of physical degradation that may take time to reverse. Drueke’s aunt said her nephew hasn’t shared much yet details with his family about how his and Huynh’s captors behaved. He said Drueke and Huynh have some “small, minor, minor health concerns” and that both are “very dehydrated,” noting that the family isn’t sure exactly when Drueke and Huynh might be ready to make the 14 hour flight home to Alabama from Saudi Arabia. . Footage of the release of the captives shown on German broadcaster Deutsche Welle showed a thin and gaunt Drueke being helped by medical staff as he walked. However, he was carrying his own bag. Drueke, a former US soldier, and Huynh, a Marine Corps veteran, disappeared near the city of Kharkiv on June 8 while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. They were moved a few times during their captivity and were likely held in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Druke’s family believes. Drueke and Huynh appear to have been kept together throughout their captivity, according to Shaw. For at least part of their time as prisoners, they were also held in the same cell as British national John Harding, who was also released this week as part of the swap. Since their release, the American veterans have been sharing an apartment in Saudi Arabia while they take the first steps toward recovery. Former POWs know all too well, Shaw said, that getting back to normal can be a long road. “He didn’t seem at all remorseful to me – he seemed excited to be coming home,” Shaw said. “He is still greatly admired by the Ukrainian people.” Kareem Fahim in Beirut. Robyn Dixon and Mary Ilyushina in Riga, Latvia. and John Hudson in New York contributed to this report.
War in Ukraine: What you need to know
The last: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of troops in an address to the nation on September 21, describing the move as an effort to defend Russian sovereignty against a West that seeks to use Ukraine as a tool to “divide and destroy Russia. .” Follow our live updates here. The battle: A successful Ukrainian counteroffensive forced a large Russian retreat in the northeastern region of Kharkiv in recent days, as troops abandoned towns and villages they had seized since the first days of the war and abandoned large amounts of military equipment. Annexation Referendums: Staggered referendums, which would be illegal under international law, are to be held from September 23 to 27 in the breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies. Another organized referendum will be held by the Moscow-appointed government in Kherson from Friday. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground since the start of the war — here are some of their strongest works. How you can help: Here are ways those in the US can help support the Ukrainian people as well as the donations people have made around the world. Read his full coverage Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video.
