The US was reminded by the Russian Embassy in Washington that, unlike Russians who are often arrested in the US and investigated on far-fetched grounds, Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed were imprisoned in Russia over serious crimes. 

Both men are former US marines.

Let us remind to @StateDeptSpox that unlike Russians, who are often detained and convicted by 🇺🇸 under far-fetched pretext, P.Whelan and T.Reed were arrested while commiting serious crimes.#FreeYaroshenko #FreeBout #FreeSeleznyov pic.twitter.com/CINHwD6ip9

— Russian Embassy in USA 🇷🇺 (@RusEmbUSA) December 29, 2021

The Embassy tweeted, "Let us remind to @StateDeptSpox that unlike Russians, who are often detained and convicted by the United States under far-fetched pretext, P.Whelan and T.Reed were arrested while committing serious crimes."

Earlier, on the third anniversary of Whelan's arrest, US State Department Spokeswoman Ned Price said Russia must free the two men "unconditionally and quickly so they may be home with their families."

Following Price's call, the Russian Embassy in Washington reminded the US that its citizens are imprisoned in Russia for committing serious crimes, unlike Russians who are often arrested in the US and investigated on far-fetched grounds. 

Whelan, who holds citizenship in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland, is serving his term in Russia after a Moscow court sentenced him to 16 years in jail on espionage charges in June 2020. Whelan was in Russia as an alleged tourist when he was arrested. 

On his part, Reed was sentenced to nine years for assaulting police officers who responded at the scene following a drunken altercation with two women in Moscow.