Patricia Zengerle & Doina Chacu

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed returned to the United States Thursday. He was released by Russia as part of a prisoner exchange. A congressman who spoke with Reed said that the former Marine had a strong “spirit”.

Reed was exchanged for Konstantin Yaroshenko (Russian pilot) on Wednesday, Ankara airport tarmac. This release occurred amid tensions between Russia and the United States over the conflict in Ukraine.

August Pfluger, U.S. Representative from Texas, said Reed arrived in San Antonio at the airport before dawn hours.

Pfluger uploaded pictures to Twitter (NYSE:) after his arrival. One photo showed Reed standing alongside Pfluger in dark clothes and making a thumbs down gesture. Both men wore masks on their faces. Reed was also seen standing at the airport with his parents.

At a hearing in Congress with U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken, the Texas congressman stated via video link that “the joy on his face, to watch their son – obviously very worried about him health.” And it will take some time for the body to heal and to return to normal health. His spirit remains strong. He is a fighter. He survived.

Pfluger said, “The reunion with his family was simply incredible.”

Officials from the United States claim that this swap was not part in broader diplomatic discussions and does not indicate an American shift of approach to Ukraine. Russian-American relations are at their lowest point since the Cold War, when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2014. The West also imposed sanctions against Moscow.

Russia convicted Reed in Russia of endangering lives of 2 police officers during drunkenness while he was visiting Moscow. He was called the “theater of absurd” in America.

Yaroshenko was captured by American special forces from Liberia and convicted for conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the United States. Russia proposed Yaroshenko’s prisoner swap in July 2019 for an American.

Russian news media claimed that Yaroshenko returned home to Moscow on Wednesday, where he was reunited again with his daughter and wife.

Yaroshenko claimed that he was tortured while in Liberia custody before being extradited to America on Thursday. Yaroshenko said that he had been beat at a US military base. This claim was rejected by the White House.

Russian media reported that Reed was on the last day of a hunger strike. He is now being treated at his prison’s hospital. Reed’s (NASDAQ.) parents stated at that time that Reed was exposed to a prisoner with tuberculosis from December. Reed was negative for tuberculosis, according to the prison service.

Officials from the United States have stated that they work to release other Americans in Russia, including Paul Whelan (a former Marine). Whelan was sentenced in June 2020 to 16 years for espionage.

Whelan’s family expressed concerns about his freedom now that Russia has exchanged a Russian prisoner since 2019.

“Why did I get left behind?” Whelan (52), asked his parents. According to the family statement.