VIDEO // Two employees of Moldovan Intelligence and Security Service, held captive in Russia, repatriated with support on behalf of U.S. President

Two employees of the Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), who had been held captive in Russia, were released in a 5 for 5 exchange at the Belarus–Poland border and returned to the Moldovan authorities, as part of an international prisoner swap. President Maia Sandu today made statements to this effect, who thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and other partner states for their involvement in this complex operation.

According to the Moldovan president, actions in this case have been underway for more months, coordinated by SIS and carried out together with partner states.

‘’Moldova has managed to free and bring home two Moldovan citizens who were being held captive in Russia. Both, being SIS employees, were released and handed back to our authorities in an international prisoner exchange. I thank President Trump for his involvement and the one of the U.S. Administration in the success of this action. I thank all our partners – from the United States, Poland, and Romania – for their involvement at each stage of the process and for the support provided to our authorities. I am grateful to all our institutions for their professionalism and for the top-level international cooperation that made it possible to save our officers,” Maia Sandu said.

The head of state noted that, in order to bring them home after a complex operation, the two officers were exchanged, as requested by the other side, for two other persons: a citizen of the Russian Federation, Nina Popova, who acted against the state Republic of Moldova, and Alexandru Balan, a citizen of Moldova, accused of treason in the interest of the Belarusian KGB, who was pardoned, so that he could leave for Belarus.

“For our country, this is a gain that cannot be measured by a simple mathematical equation – we brought home two citizens who work for Moldova, in exchange for two detainees who worked against Moldova. Our officers are on their way home and we are waiting for them to arrive safely! It is important that they undergo all medical examinations – our priority is to make sure they are healthy and receive, if necessary, the treatment they need,” Maia Sandu added.

The Moldovan authorities specified that some details of the operation had not been made public earlier, in order not to endanger the entire operation, nor the lives of the two Moldovan citizens.