Greenpeace Activists Leave Russia, Say Will Continue Fight For Arctic

"I am very pleased to be leaving, I want to go home and see my family that I haven't seen for over a hundred days and I am also sad to be leaving the friends I've made in Russia," said Phillip Ball as he got out of the taxi outside the terminal building."I am glad this case is finally over, it shouldn't have got to this in the first place, we have never actually committed a crime and to receive amnesty is very strange because it is like we are being forgiven for a crime we didn't commit, though I am happy that this is finally over and we can move on with our lives now," said Alex Harris to Reuters outsidePulkovo airport.

Russia's treatment of the 30 activists from 18 countries - who spent two months in detention and faced hooliganism charges punishable by seven years in jail - had drawn heavy criticism from Western nations and celebrities. Their amnesty removed an irritant in Moscow's relations with the West in what Kremlin critics say is a move timed to improve Russia's image ahead of the Sochi Olympics.

British activist Anthony Parrot said though Arctic 30 are leaving Russia the work in the Arctic will go on.

"Thanks for having us, you know, St.Petersburg is a beautiful, wonderful city. We are still very much concerned about invasive drilling in the Arctic. the campaign won't stop, we'll take a breather, but the ultimate goal is to stop drilling in the Arctic, so we are going to carry on."

Russia says activists endangered lives and property in the protest at the state-controlled energy giant Gazprom's Prirazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea, a key element ofRussia's plans to develop the Arctic.

Greenpeace said the boarding of its icebreaker by Russian authorities after the protest was illegal and says its activists conducted a peaceful protest.

All six Greenpeace activists took a morning flight to Paris.