Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is said to have played a “key role” in the release of five men held in Ukraine by Russian-backed separatists. The sun.
One of the five men released during the prisoner swap earlier this week, John Harding, said the Russian oligarch met them in a private jet bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and gave them their iPhones so they could tell the family they were going to returned home. .
Harding said he spoke to Abramovich’s aide, who said the Russian, who is also the target of Western sanctions, played a “fundamental role” in his release.
“The Shaun Pinner” [outro prisioneiro, adepto do West Ham] been talking to him about football for a long time and I spoke to his assistant. He said Roman played a key role in freeing us. He is highly respected by the Ukrainians and now also by us – he has done a lot for us and we cannot thank him enough.” said.
“He is a very sweet person. He is a legend. We adore him and are very grateful for his efforts.”added John Harding, who was employed by Ukraine as a medic for the 2nd Battalion of the Azov Regiment before surrendering in March when his unit ran out of ammunition at the Azovstal steel plant in the port city of Mariupol.
Harding said he was trapped on a bus for three days, where he was given cookies and dirty water, and that he was in three prisons, including one in Donetsk, where he was repeatedly attacked by guards.
The released detainees were taken to the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took part in the negotiations.
On the flight to Saudi Arabia they were served a tasty meal: a meat dish with rice, a shoarma meat and a pudding. “It was the best meal I’ve had in seven months. It was a world away from the misery we went through. It was unbelievable.”well-known John Harding, who has since returned to the UK.
Abramovich, 55, was sanctioned by the British government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming that Chelsea’s former owner had proved his connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The European Union also imposed sanctions on him.
The five British men – Harding, Pinner, Aiden Aslin, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill – were released as part of a record prisoner exchange that also involved American, Moroccan, Swedish and Croatian citizens, as well as Ukrainian and separatist fighters and a prominent pro-politician. – Kremlin.
The British were detained by Russian prosecutors in the breakaway region of Donetsk after participating in the war as volunteer fighters and aid workers.
Aslin and Pinner were sentenced to death in June, while the other three men were on trial in August on the same charges of mercenary service.
A British man, Paul Urey, died in captivity after his arrest in April, shortly after the start of the war.
Last month, Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny called for more systematic sanctions against Russian oligarchs who support Putin and the war in Ukraine, saying Abramovich evaded US sanctions despite his companies “supplying to the Russian Defense Ministry”.
Source: DN
