Menzies Orchestrates Russian Rescue
As the plight of US citizen and Navy veteran Taylor Dudley, detained since April 2022 by Russian authorities, increased to a level of grave concern for all Americans, the Steve Menzies Global Foundation (www.boldthinkers.org) intervened and effected his rescue and safe return on Thursday, January 12th at the Bagrationovsk-Bezledy border crossing between Poland and Russia.
News reports on ABC TV (link here), on CNN (link here) and at the Washington press conference (link here) presented upon arrival back in the US underlined the work of the Foundation, its leader, and the team assembled for this important, humanitarian “win.” Citing Steve Menzies, Chairman of the Foundation and of Applied Underwriters, former New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson, and the entire team of medical, operations, and security staff who traveled to the Russian border, the reports noted that careful negotiations and concerted teamwork resulted in the return of Taylor Dudley.
According to Steve Menzies, who funded and helped blueprint and direct the multi-faceted effort including prior negotiations which took place in Moscow, it was a highly motivated team effort: “The fate of Taylor Dudley was an intolerable nightmare for him, for his family, and for every American.
Our team consisted of Bill Richardson, former Governor of New Mexico, Mickey Bergman from the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, and, I am pleased to say, the 20 plus operational and administrative staff provided by the Steve Menzies Global Foundation who all pulled together to get this accomplished as cleanly and neatly as possible. We worked hard right up to the transition at the Poland-Russia border. The delicacy of these efforts cannot be overemphasized, requiring the concentration and tireless stamina of all the participants. In this effort, and every effort, where American citizens are held hostage for whatever reasons, to act to secure their freedom. We believe that freedom is the basic premise of our shared citizenship and we must act to secure it and protect its value with no political concern or interests, as we did with the release of Brittney Griner and other recent interventions in Afghanistan and elsewhere. We trust that all of our fellow citizens will share in our great satisfaction at Taylor’s release, and join us in offering him a warm welcome home. We are compelled as individuals who believe in the important, unique meaning of US citizenship.”