Dear Vladimir: Paul McCartney pens letter to Russian leader on behalf of the Arctic 30 The letter urges Putin to release the Greenpeace activists, quotes "Back in the USSR"

Attempting to intervene on the behalf of the 28 Greenpeace activists and two journalists currently being held in St. Petersburg after a protest at a Russian oil rig in the Arctic, Sir Paul McCartney wrote to Vladimir Putin requesting their release.

"Vladimir, millions of people in dozens of countries would be hugely grateful if you were to intervene to bring about an end to this affair," he wrote in the letter, which he sent in October and published today to his personal blog. For good measure, he quotes "Back in the USSR" -- "Been away so long I hardly knew the place, gee it's good to be back home" -- adding, "Could you make that come true for the Greenpeace prisoners?"

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According to McCartney, his would-be pen-pal has yet to reply, although the Russian Ambassador to Britain did so on his behalf, explaining that the situation "is not properly represented in the world media."

The full letter: