American detained in Belarus is freed, US official says
An American detained in Belarus has been freed, a U.S. official told CNN on Wednesday.
Youras Ziankovich was arrested in Moscow in 2021 and then was brought to Belarus’ capital Minsk, where he was accused of being part of a U.S.-backed coup plot against Belarus’ strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko. The U.S. State Department denied any such involvement.
There was not a prisoner swap that led to Ziankovich’s release, the official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the news later on Wednesday, without naming Ziankovich.
“Thanks to ’s leadership, Belarus has released another wrongfully detained U.S. citizen. No president has done so much, so quickly, to keep Americans safe abroad,” Rubio posted on X.
According to Global Reach, an organization that advocated for his case, Ziankovich did not have access to U.S. officials until January 2025.
“I knew this day would come. It took 1,480 days, but he survived and is on his way home to me and to America,” Alena Dzenisavets, his wife, said. “I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Special Envoy Boehler and the SPEHA staff. I also want to express my appreciation to Rep. Morgan Luttrell and the nonprofits Global Reach and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation for their help advocating for Youras.”
