American Citizen Detained in Russia Released Ahead of Ukraine War Talks
Kalob Byers, a 28-year-old American citizen, has been released from detention in Russia ahead of scheduled talks between Washington and Moscow on ending the war in Ukraine.
Byers’ release was confirmed by David Kelly, Deputy Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates. "He was released and is now at home," Kelly told Fox News.
Byers was released to the U.S. embassy in Moscow on Sunday evening, a U.S. official confirmed to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Arrested on Drug Charges
Byers was arrested on February 7th at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport after customs officials allegedly discovered cannabis-laced marmalade in his baggage. He was charged with drug smuggling, which carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Release in Context of Wider Talks
The release of Byers comes as part of a broader context of improving relations between Russia and the United States. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the talks in Saudi Arabia, which are focused on improving relations and ending the war in Ukraine, may have contributed to Byers’ release.
"We also expect that on Tuesday we will be able to talk about restoring the entire range of Russian-American relations," Peskov said, referring to the talks between Washington and Moscow. "Accordingly, certain events can be viewed in this context."
Prisoner Exchanges and Diplomatic Tensions
Arrests of American citizens in Russia have become increasingly common in recent years, as relations between the two countries have deteriorated over the war in Ukraine. Some have been released through prisoner exchanges, such as Marc Fogel, who was exchanged for Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik last week.
Byers’ release also comes at a time when senior Russian and U.S. officials are meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss improving relations and ending the war in Ukraine, without representatives from Ukraine. These talks are intended to pave the way for a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Additional Details
It is unclear whether Byers’ Russian fiancée, Naida Mambetova, who was also detained on the same charges, has also been released. Authorities have accused Byers of attempting to smuggle a "significant amount" of drugs into Russia.
Fox News reporters Lillian LeCroy and Greg Norman, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
