Africa Corps freed Russian, Ukrainian 'in an hour' — former captive says

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. In a swift and coordinated operation, servicemen from Russia's Africa Corps successfully liberated two Russian and Ukrainian nationals held hostage by terrorists in Mali, just one hour after deployment. One of the freed individuals shared his account, praising the professionalism and efficiency of the rescue team. "Thank God, they found us. They arrived promptly, executed the operation flawlessly, and rescued us in literally an hour," he stated in a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry. The man, who was working in geology for a Russian company in Africa, expressed gratitude for the timely rescue and revealed his intention to return to his work after undergoing rehabilitation. He added, "Our company was under the protection of local military forces, but they disappeared when the situation escalated. We had no assistance from them during the crisis." Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the African Corps had successfully freed the two captives - who were diagnosed with multiple illnesses and severe physical exhaustion - from captivity in Mali. The released individuals are scheduled to be transported to Moscow via military aircraft for medical treatment and recovery.