Afanasyev and Soloshenko, Ukrainian political prisoners detained in Russia,to land in Kyiv at about 5 p.m. today

“We’re on Ukraine’s territory, eventually!” – these were the first words of Afanasyev and Soloshenko as they came on board of the Ukrainian aircraft that came for them to Russia. Ukraine's Vice Speaker of the Parliament Iryna Gherashchenko and Presidential press secretary Svyatoslav Tseholko were on board, too.

“Finally! Yuriy Soloshenko and Hennadiy Afanasyev are already on board of Ukrainian aircraft, on their way from Moscow to Ukraine. We’ve so long fought for this moment!”, President Petro Poroshenko posted at Facebook.

Upon arrival, the Ukrainian citizens will be hospitalized. President will visit them at hospital.

Ukrainian activist Hennadiy Afanasyev was detained in Crimea in May 2014. Russian law enforcers arrested him on charges of ‘terrorism’.

Yuriy Soloshenko, Ukrainian businessman, was detained in 2015 in Russia. Moscow city court found him guilty of industrial espionage and sentenced to six years of imprisonment in high-security penal colony.