Emotional reunions for British POWs as they return to Heathrow after being held on death row by Russian forces
22 September 2022, 11:14 | Updated: 22 September 2022, 11:55
The British nationals who were held captive in Russia have been reunited with their families after being released on Wednesday.
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Non-profit organisation the Presidium Network, which is helping get aid to Kyiv, said Shaun Pinner, Aiden Aslin, John Harding, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill had arrived at Heathrow on Thursday morning.
Mr Aslin, 28, and Mr Pinner, 48, said earlier they got out of the "danger zone" by "the skin of our teeth".
Video footage released earlier shows ten prisoners held in Russia - among them the five British nationals - arriving in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
Shortly after a plane is shown arriving on the tarmac, the individuals are greeted and escorted inside by officials, with one appearing to have an injured arm supported for him.
Unnamed officials are then seen addressing the group, thanking them on behalf of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Aiden Ashlin and Shaun Pinner land in Saudi Arabia after being released by Russia
Sharing the video, the Coordinating Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said: "Ten defenders of Ukraine — foreign citizens of five states — were freed from Russian captivity."
It added: "The freed foreign defenders were brought to Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on September 21.
"The soldiers were returned thanks to the efforts of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War with the assistance of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin Salman.
"Among the ten freed defenders who are fighting side by side with Ukrainian soldiers against Russian aggression, six are fighting as part of the International Legion of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense."
Since the war began earlier this year, a number of British nationals have been captured in Ukraine - with the Foreign Office working to support the detainees and their families.
Pro-Russian forces had incorrectly branded them mercenaries, and after photos emerged of the men looking bruised and injured there were fears they were being tortured.
Some were sentenced to death while one man died while being held by separatist authorities. They were also used as propaganda tools for Moscow in a bid to get pro-Russian prisoners freed, with captured Brits calling their families and media outlets - likely under duress - to try and get freed.
Read more: 'Months of suffering is over': Five Brits captured by pro-Russian fighters in Ukraine released
On her visit to New York for a UN summit, Liz Truss said: "Hugely welcome news that five British nationals held by Russian-backed proxies in eastern Ukraine are being safely returned, ending months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families."
She thanked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy "for his efforts to secure the release of detainees, and Saudi Arabia for their assistance".
"Russia must end the ruthless exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political ends," Ms Truss added.
Mr Aslin and Mr Pinner were sentenced to death after being captured.
They were found guilty of "committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the Donetsk People's Republic" in a court that is not internationally recognised. The self-proclaimed republic is effectively a puppet state of Russia's.
Health Minister Robert Jenrick tweeted the update about his constituent, saying: "Aiden's return brings to an end months of agonising uncertainty for Aiden's loving family in Newark who suffered every day of Aiden's sham trial but never lost hope.
"As they are united as a family once more, they can finally be at peace."
Previously, the three other Brits - John Harding, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill - were also put on trial for allegedly fighting for the Azov Battalion for Ukraine against the Russian army.
They were tried alongside a Swedish man and a Croatian.
One British aid worker, Paul Urey, died after being detained by pro-Russian forces while in Ukraine.
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, tweeted when his death was confirmed earlier in September: "Russians have returned the body of a British humanitarian worker Paul Urie [sic] whom they captured in April and reported dead due to 'illnesses' and 'stress' in July.
"With signs of possible unspeakable torture. Detaining and torturing civilians is barbarism and a heinous war crime."
The Foreign Office said: "We are disturbed by reports that aid worker Paul Urey may have been tortured in detention.
"It is essential that we see the results of a full post-mortem as soon as possible."
The 45-year-old from Warrington had been charged with "mercenary activities" in the breakaway Donetsk region as part of pro-Russian propaganda efforts.
He was seized at a checkpoint in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia in April along with Mr Healy.
American, Swedish, Croatian and Moroccan nationals are also believed to have been released as part of the exchange of POWs between Russia and Ukraine.
