2 U.S. Veterans Detained by Russia After Fighting for Ukraine Have Been Released, Family Members Say

twitter

Two U.S. veterans who volunteered to help defend Ukraine against Russia's invasion and were featured captured by the Russian-backed forces in June have been released, according to their family members.

Alexander Drueke and Andy Huynh, both from Alabama, were believed to be the first Americans to be detained since the war began in February. Drueke and Huynh were freed following a prisoner exchange brokered by Saudi Arabia, ABC News reported.

"We are thrilled to announce that Alex and Andy are free," a joint statement from their families via Facebook read. "They are safely in the custody of the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and after medical checks and debriefing they will return to the States."

Alexander J. Drueke/Facebook; Courtesy the Black Family Alexander J. Drueke and Andy Huynh

RELATED: 2 U.S. Veterans Who Traveled to Help Defend Ukraine Are Feared Captured, Families Say

"We deeply appreciate everyone's prayers and especially the close communication and support of our elected officials, Ukrainian Ambassador Markarova, and our members of the US embassies in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and the US Department of State," the statement continued.

Drueke's aunt Dianna Brown Shaw tells PEOPLE that Drueke and Huynh are "spending the night in [the] hospital, they're in Saudi Arabia, they're getting fluids and having their vitals monitored, just to make sure they are healthy enough to travel, nothing seemed to be amiss with either of them, they seemed to be okay, just tired, you know, dehydrated."

"We are hoping they would be released in the morning, and then we can make arrangements to get them home," she adds.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Shaw also tells PEOPLE that Drueke's mother, Lois, was able to speak to him after receiving a call from the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia Wednesday morning and confirmed that Huynh was also able to get in touch with his fiancée, Joy Black, around the same time.

As for when her nephew and Huynh are expected to arrive in the U.S., Shaw says "we are hoping within the next two, three days."

The release of Drueke and Huynh and eight other foreign prisoners of war — including British, Swedish, Moroccan, and Croatian citizens — originated from "mediation efforts" by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday, per ABC News.

Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama shared a picture via Twitter of Drueke and Huynh stepping out of a plane as they safely landed in Saudi Arabia.

RELATED: 'Forgotten' American Woman Jailed in Russia with Brittney Griner Tried to Flee with U.S. Help Before Arrest

After learning about their release, Aderholt tweeted that his office "is working to get more information from the State Department about the health of these men and when they will return to their families in the U.S."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia and Ukraine for their efforts to secure the freedom, saying in a statement that the U.S. "is appreciative of Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations," the Associated Press reported.

"Drueke and Huynh were serving in the Ukrainian Army when the unit they were assigned to came under heavy fire on June 9," Drueke's aunt Shaw previously said in a statement via Facebook. "The families first learned the men were missing in action on June 13, and received evidence of their captivity two days later."

Huynh cited the fact that 18 year olds were being drafted into the Ukrainian Army as the primary reason he volunteered, and acknowledged that "it wasn't my problem" but that it "broke my heart." His remarks came in his local newspaper, The Decatur Daily, before flying to the war-torn country in April.

RELATED: President Joe Biden Meets with Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan's Family Members at the White House

Huynh enlisted in the Marines when he was 19 but was not involved in any active combat. He was born and raised in California and moved to Alabama two years ago to be with his fiancée, the paper reported.

Drueke also joined the army at the age of 19 after the 9/11 terrorist attack and believed his training in the military would help contribute to the Ukrainians in fighting the war against Russia, per the AP.

The U.S. Department of State and Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.