The United States on Tuesday welcomed Russia’s release of a US citizen briefly detained in Moscow on drugs smuggling charges and expressed hope it would free two more prisoners.
Kalob Wayne Byers, 28, was released from custody last week after customs officers detained him at a Moscow airport carrying what Russian state media described as cannabis gummies.
Russia holds several other US citizens in detention, including ballerina Ksenia Karelina and retired English teacher Stephen Hubbard.
“The Russians turned Kalob Byers over after a few days, which is a welcome gesture. We hope they consider the same for Stephen Hubbard and Ksenia Khavana (Karelina),” a spokesperson for the US embassy in Moscow told AFP.
The previous US administration accused Moscow of detaining American citizens on baseless charges to use them as bargaining chips in future prisoner exchanges.
Last week, Russia exchanged US teacher Marc Fogel for convicted cryptocurrency kingpin Alexander Vinnik, the first prisoner swap between Washington and Moscow since last August.
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