Taylor Dudley freed from Russian detention after nine months in Kaliningrad
By Caitlin McFall
U.S. Navy veteran Taylor Dudley on Thursday was released from Russian custody after he was held for nearly a year in Kaliningrad following his detainment in April 2022.
Dudley’s release was secured by former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and his organization, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, which led negotiations with Russian authorities for six months.
The 35-year-old was greeted by his mother Shelley after crossing the Bagrationovsk-Bezledy border crossing into Poland and is “on his way home” according to a statement from the Center.
The circumstances of Dudley’s detainment remain unclear, though some reporting suggested he was arrested after crossing into Russia during a visit to Poland for a music festival just months after Moscow invaded Ukraine and as relations between the U.S. and Russia were crumbling.
“It is significant that despite the current environment between our two countries, the Russian authorities did the right thing by releasing Taylor today,” Richardson said Thursday.
Just one month prior to Dudley’s release, WNBA star Brittney Griner was returned to Washington in exchange for international arms dealer Viktor Bout; this exchange was contentious due to former Marine Paul Whelan’s ongoing detention.
When asked by Fox News Digital if Dudley’s return was also a part of an exchange, the Center did not respond, and Richardson made no further mention of the negotiations in his statement.
“As we celebrate Taylor’s safe return, we remain very concerned for Paul Whelan and committed to continue to work on his safe return, as we have been for the last four years, as well as other Americans,” Richardson said.
The Richardson Center works in “citizen diplomacy” with nations often at odds with Washington and helps to secure the release of American hostages and prisoners abroad.
