Norway releases former top Wagner Group member

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norwegian authorities have released a former high-ranking member of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group who has sought asylum after entering the Scandinavian country illegally. Andrey Medvedev was released from a detention center “against an order for a specific place of residence.” Medvedev, who says he fears for his life if he returns to Russia, crossed earlier this month into Norway, which has a 198-kilometer (123-mile) -long border with Russia. A Russian dissident group that helped Medvedev flee said he was first in a safe house and then was moved without explanation to a secured immigration facility. He was released from there Wednesday.