Roman Abramovich evacuated British POWs freed from Russia on his luxury jet
23 September 2022, 10:25
A British prisoner of war who was captured by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine has told of his disbelief at being welcomed by Roman Abramovich aboard his luxury jet.
John Harding is one of the five British prisoners released following a Saudi-brokered exchange between Russia and Ukraine. The Brits had an emotional return to the UK after enduring six months in captivity by Russian separatists.
Mr Harding said that UK-sanctioned billionaire businessman Roman Abramovich had played a "key part" their release, describing him as a "lovely guy" and a "legend" in an interview with The Sun.
The Brit said that Abramovich, who formerly owned Chelsea Football Club, "treated them like royalty" - in contrast to months of being beaten regularly in cells.
“He’s [Abramovich] well respected by Ukrainians and massively by us now, too - he’s done a hell of a lot for us and we couldn’t thank him enough,” Mr Harding said.
“He was a sound bloke, a really lovely guy. He’s a legend – we absolutely love him and I’m so grateful for his efforts.”
Mr Abramovich had welcomed the former prisoners onboard his jet that had earlier flown them from Russia to Saudi Arabia, reported The Sun.
It is understood Mr Harding was set free on Wednesday along with Shaun Pinner, Aiden Aslin, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill.
The Britons landed at Heathrow Airport in the early hours of Thursday 22 September, and reunited with their families.
Mr Harding said Mr Pinner told the businessman during the flight that he really looked like Roman Abramovich and he replied saying: “That’s because I am him, sir”.
“He couldn’t believe it.”
“Shaun was chatting away to him about football for a long time and I was speaking to his assistant,” Mr Harding continued:
“She said Roman had played a key part in getting us back. It’s quite extraordinary to think he was involved — and I wouldn’t have even been able to tell you who he was by looking at him.”
Mr Harding added that the Brits were each handed and iPhone 13 to talk to their families, and dined on stake, canapes and tiramisu during the flight from Russia to Riyadh.
Mr Abramovich announced he would sell Chelsea on 2 March, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The UK government sanctioned him on 10 March, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Vladimir Putin.
Mr Harding was serving as a medic in Ukraine with the 2nd Battalion of the Azov Regiment, when in May he was captured by Russian forces as they took over the Azovstal Steelworks in the besieged port of Mariupol.
Mr Harding spoke of the horrors of captivity, telling of how he was kept in three jails during his capture. Mr Harding said that guards used to punch and kick him, and even jumped on his body - breaking most of his ribs and leaving him passing blood when urinating:
“I thought, ‘I just wish they’d f***ing kill me now’.
"That was the worst moment — the way they treated us was appalling. In my head I just told myself, ‘I’ve been hit harder by my sister'.
"If I’d have known how we’d be treated before we surrendered, I would’ve stayed and set up a sniper’s nest and just tried to take a few of them out before I got killed.”
In a statement released by the foreign office, Mr Pinner is said to be “in good spirits” and “is looking forward to steak and a glass of red wine” following his release.
Read more: British man, 50, killed in paragliding tragedy in Spanish Pyrenees
Before the prisoner swap, Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin had been sentenced to death by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in July.
In a picture released by the foreign office, Mr Pinner - an ex-British Army soldier - was pictured beaming with joy surrounded by family after his return.
A statement from the family read:
“It’s a very emotional time as you can expect and we are unable to currently discuss so early in his release any details fully. It’s been a harrowing time for Shaun and our family which has now had such a happy resolution.
“We are now enjoying some family time and would appreciate the privacy at this moment.”
