Russian hostages released in Iraq

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed that two Russians kidnapped last Monday and held for a week in Iraq have been released.

"Alexander Gordiyenko and Andrei Meshcheryakov are on their wayto the Russian embassy in Baghdad," a minisry spokesman said.

The Itar-Tass news agency earlier quoted an unnamed official from Russia's Interenergoservice company, which employs the two men, as saying that they had been released on Monday.

The two Russians were kidnapped on May 10 by unidentified armedmen, who attacked their car as they were returning from work near Baghdad. One of their colleagues was killed in the assault.

The kidnapped Russians and their killed colleague were working for Russia's Interenergoservice company, which is in the midst of restoring energy supplies to Iraq.

Source: Xinhua