Two Americans captured by Russian-backed forces while fighting in Ukraine this summer have been released, according to a statement by one of the men’s families.

Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27 — both from Alabama — are in the custody of the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, the statement from the Drueke family said. 

“We are thrilled to announce that Alex and Andy are free,” the statement said.

The release, which included eight other prisoners of war, was brokered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi foreign ministry said. The deal involved an exchange of POWs between Russia and Ukraine, Saudi Arabia said.

The timing of the release was stunning because it came on the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in the wake of setbacks in Ukraine and appeared to make veiled nuclear threats.

After medical checks and a debriefing, Drueke and Huynh will return to the United States, according to the Drueke family statement.

“We deeply appreciate everyone’s prayers and especially the close communication and support of our elected officials, Ukrainian Ambassador [to the United States Oksana] Markarova, and our members of the US embassies in Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and the US Department of State,” the statement said.

Drueke’s and Huynh’s families met virtually with Markarova and U.S. officials earlier this month. 

Drueke’s aunt, Dianna Shaw, told WBRC-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, the family received a call Wednesday morning from the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia saying both Drueke and Huynh have been freed. Drueke was then allowed to speak to his mother, Shaw said.

In a statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. "welcomes the negotiated prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, which includes two U.S. citizens captured while serving in Ukraine’s military. "

"The United States is appreciative of Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations, and we look forward to these U.S. citizens being reunited with their families," Blinken said. "We also thank our Saudi partners for helping to spearhead this humanitarian initiative and facilitating the return of ten foreign nationals, including the two U.S. citizens."

Russia has not publicly commented. 

Saudi Arabia said the crown prince's mediation led to the release of 10 foreign prisoners in all who were captured while fighting in Ukraine, including British, Croatian, Moroccan and Swedish nationals. It did not name the released prisoners.

"The relevant Saudi authorities received and transferred them from Russia to the kingdom and are facilitating procedures for their respective countries," according to the statement.

Drueke’s family previously said the former Army staff sergeant’s platoon came under heavy fire from Russian forces June 9 in eastern Ukraine. When the troop reassembled at a rally point, Drueke and another volunteer American soldier did not show up, the family’s statement then said. The other soldier was Huynh, a Marine veteran originally from Orange County, California.

Searches on foot and by drone did not find the pair.

Drueke and Huynh were believed to have been taken into the Donetsk region. Russia and the so-called Donetsk People's Republic currently control the majority of the region. Neither Russia nor the DPR had confirmed any information about the missing men, but Drueke's relatives said they spoke with him several times by phone while the two were being held.

In the early days of the war, Ukraine created a foreign legion military unit, which attracted tens of thousands of volunteers, according to the Ukrainian foreign ministry. 

Before leaving for Europe, Huynh told his local newspaper, The Decatur Daily, he couldn’t stop thinking about Russia’s invasion.

“I know it wasn’t my problem, but there was that gut feeling that I felt I had to do something,” Huynh told the paper. “Two weeks after the war began, it kept eating me up inside and it just felt wrong. I was losing sleep. ... All I could think about was the situation in Ukraine.”

The U.S. government has repeatedly warned against Americans joining the fight in Ukraine, a point that Blinken reiterated in his statement. He also urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave if they can do so safely.

A handful of Americans have been killed in the war.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Note: This article was updated to include a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.