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US citizens Reed and Whelan detained in Russia for serious crimes, says embassy

The Spokesperson for the US Department of State claimed that Washington viewed the release of Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed as a top priority

WASHINGTON, December 29. / TASS /. American residents Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed, convicted in Russia, were detained for serious crimes, unlike Russians in the US, the country’s embassy in Washington stated on its Twitter page commenting on the statements made by Spokesperson for the US Department of State Ned Price.

"Let us remind [Ned Price] that unlike Russians, who are often detained and convicted by the US under a far-fetched pretext, P. Whelan and T. Reed were arrested while committing serious crimes," the Russian diplomats said, urging the US authorities to release Viktor Bout, Konstantin Yaroshenko, and Roman Seleznev.

Earlier, Price pointed out that Washington viewed the release of Whelan and Reed as a top priority. According to him, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken "has been very clear: Russia needs to release [the US nationals] unconditionally and immediately."

Paul Whelan, who has US, Canadian, Irish, and UK citizenship, was apprehended by the FSB at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow while carrying out a spy operation on December 28, 2018. The Moscow City Court found Whelan guilty and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum-security colony.

Last year, a student from the US Trevor Reed was put behind bars for nine years for attacking police officers in Moscow in August 2019. According to the investigation, the local residents called the police, complaining about a drunk man who picked a fight with several women. When the foreigner was taken to the police station in a car, he attacked the driver and his partner.

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