Five British nationals held by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine have returned to the UK after being released as part of a prisoner swap.
The unexpected prisoner swap on Wednesday involved almost 300 people with 10 foreigners among them, including five British nationals, two U.S. nationals, as well as a Croatian, a Moroccan, and a Swedish national.
As part of a deal brokered by Saudi Arabia, British nationals Aiden Aslin, John Harding, Dylan Healy, Andrew Hill, and Shaun Pinner have returned home and reunited with their families, non-profit organisation the Presidium Network confirmed on Thursday.
Prisoners of war (five British citizens, one Moroccan, one Swede, one Croat, and two Americans) are seen on the tarmac after arriving at the King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 21, 2022. (Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters)
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who is visiting New York for a United Nations summit, called it “hugely welcome news.”…