Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich played a major role in the release of five Brits from Russian captivity in Ukraine, British tabloid “The Sun” reported on Friday.
As John Harding, one of the freedmen, told the newspaper, the oligarch was facing another prisoner, Sean Pinner, when they boarded the plane to go to Riyadh.
Harding himself spoke to Abramovich’s assistant, who said the oligarch played an important role in the liberation of the British.
The freed prisoners were taken to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, also participated in the talks on the exchange of prisoners.
“Sean talked to him (Abramovich) for some football and I talked to his assistant,” Harding told The Sun.
“He said Roman was instrumental in bringing us back,” Harding said.
“He is very much appreciated by the Ukrainians and he is also very much appreciated by our eyes. He has done a great deal for us and we cannot thank him enough,” said Harding.
As announced Wednesday by Saudi officials, as part of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine, ten foreigners who fought on the side of Ukraine and were captured by Russian forces were taken to Saudi Arabia.
Among those released are two Americans, five British and one each from Sweden, Morocco and Croatia.
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