Five Brits released to families after talks
FIVE British nationals held by Russian-backed forces are being returned to their families.
One of the Brits was named by his MP as Aiden Aslin.
The news was confirmed by Liz Truss in a tweet, as she visits New York for a UN summit where world leaders are discussing Ukraine.
Since the war began earlier this year, a number of British nationals had been captured in Ukraine — with the UK Foreign Office working to support the detainees and their families.
Ms 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.”
Agony
She thanked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy “for his efforts to secure the release of detainees, and Saudi Arabia for assistance”.
“Russia must end the ruthless exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political ends,” Ms Truss added.
Robert Jenrick, the MP for Newark, said his constituent Aiden Aslin was among those released by pro-Russian forces.
Mr Jenrick tweeted: “Aiden’s return brings to an end months of agonising uncertainty for Aiden’s loving family.”
VLADIMIR Putin has threatened to nuke the West and declared he’s “not bluffing” in a sabre-rattling TV speech.
The Russian president said he has “lots of weapons to reply” as he calls up 300,000 reservists for the war he’s losing in Ukraine.
The new recruits will be sent off to Ukraine to fight from today as he promised to use “all means necessary” to protect his “liberated lands” from “neo-nazis”.
“Our country also has various means of defence, and in some components more advanced than those of NATO countries,” the crazed Russian leader said.
“When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all the means at our disposal to defend Russia and our people, this is not a bluff.
“Russian citizens can be sure that the territorial integrity of our homeland, our independence and our freedom will be secured by all the means at our disposal.
“Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.”
Threat
Putin falsely claimed he was responding to threats from unnamed high NATO officials “about the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction — nuclear weapons — against Russia”.
The rant marked his first televised address since the start of the war on February 24.
Yet men of fighting age across Russia responded to the speech by preparing to flee the country to avoid potential conscription.
There has been a spike in the number of people trying to buy tickets to cities such as Istanbul in Turkey, according to the Moscow Times.
Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik tweeted: “Right after Putin’s address, Russians bought out all the plane tickets to Istanbul and Yerevan [the capital of Armenia].
“You asked what it would take for Russians to rebel. Well, mobilisation is. I’m sure we will see street protests soon.”
Her prediction was realised last night when thousands took to the streets of Moscow