Russia and Ukraine .. Saudi mediation succeeded in releasing 10 prisoners from 5 countries

Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it had mediated the transfer of 10 prisoners of war from the United States, Britain and other countries to the kingdom as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.

The group included five Britons, two Americans and one person each from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia, according to a Saudi official familiar with the operation.

And the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed, in a statement reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), that the prisoners were "transferred from Russia to the Kingdom", stressing "work to facilitate the procedures for their return to their countries."

British Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Twitter that the release of the five British citizens was "very welcome news... that ends months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families."

She explained that they were "held by Russian agents in eastern Ukraine," and thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Saudi Arabia for helping to release them.

Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde wrote on Twitter that her fellow citizen, who had been detained in Donetsk, "has now been exchanged and is in good health."

She also thanked Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the step came in the wake of the efforts of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, "and in continuation of his efforts to adopt humanitarian initiatives towards the Russian-Ukrainian crisis."

Wednesday's statement did not specify when the prisoners of war would be transferred to their countries.

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