As the second month of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is over, the prisoner swap between Russia and the US that took place in Turkey the previous day remains on the agenda.
EX-NAVY EXCHANGE FOR RUSSIAN PILOT
The operation, which is not reminiscent of the Cold War era, swapped in Russia-imprisoned ex-US Marine Corps Trevor Reed for US-imprisoned Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko. While the eyes and ears of the world were on the operation, carried out at the height of tensions between the Moscow and Washington governments, the US and Russia thanked Turkey.
10 years later he returned to his country and told about his life
Today the Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who returned to his country after more than 10 years, made a statement to the Russian press. Russian pilot Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia by US Drug Enforcement Agency agents on May 28, 2010 and taken to the United States.
“I WAS HOURS OF TORTURE IN A ROOM”
The Russian pilot told the Russian news channel RT about his experience. Yaroshenko said: “On May 28, 2010, I was kidnapped by US authorities from a hotel in Liberia and taken to NSA headquarters. I was tortured in a room for days. Physically and mentally. It was inhuman torture. At one point I didn’t even want to live. I didn’t want to go back to earth.
“I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A BIG POLITICAL GAME”
Yaroshenko said the West African country of Liberia eventually handed him over to US authorities, while he was secretly transferred to the US, where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Yaroshenko said: “Faith in the Russian people, the Russian government and the Russian President. Only this belief helped me to persevere in this very difficult situation.” Yaroshenko stated that he was in the middle of a big political game against Russia and claimed that he was innocent. Now Yaroshenko has announced that he intends to sue the US and Liberian authorities for the hardships he has endured and the systematic violations of basic human rights he has witnessed.
