Navy Veteran Held in Russia Is Released, US Officials Say
Tyler Pager, Shane Harris and Karen DeYoung The Washington Post
Taylor Dudley, a 35-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, was released from Russian custody Thursday after nearly a year of negotiations. (photo: Jonathan Franks/CNN)
Taylor Dudley was released at a border crossing with Poland. It appears he was not part of a prisoner swap.
Taylor Dudley, 35, of Michigan, had been held since April in the Russian province of Kaliningrad, located between Poland and Lithuania. He was released at a border crossing with Poland and was traveling to the United States with a team working for former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson, according to a statement from his center, which negotiates for the release of hostages and prisoners abroad.
U.S. officials confirmed the release. It appeared that the U.S. government did not reciprocate with the release of any Russian prisoners, as it has in the past, including with professional basketball player Brittney Griner, who was exchanged for convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout.
A State Department spokesman indicated that Dudley had been deported from Russia, another signal that his release was not equivalent to earlier swaps and may have little bearing on the case of another U.S. citizen in Russia, Paul Whelan, whom the Biden administration has been trying to free through a prisoner exchange.
“Generally, when a U.S. citizen is deported, the State Department may provide assistance to help facilitate the return of the U.S. citizen to the United States,” the spokesman said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe internal procedures.
Another U.S. official described the release as the result of consular negotiations and was unaware of any role played by outside parties.
“The U.S. Government has no information about a role played by any outside actor in this case. The U.S. Government is focused on providing consular services to Americans. We are all grateful to our embassies in Moscow and Warsaw for their long-standing work on this case,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe internal negotiations.
Dudley reportedly had been attending a music festival in Poland when he was detained. It was not clear why he crossed the border into the Russian province.
CNN first reported Dudley’s release.
