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Viktor Gorelov liberated from Syrian captivity returns home

Gorelov feels well, though he is very tired, as the trip was complicated
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS
Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, February 9 (Itar-Tass) - Russia’s veteran steelworker, whom Syrian militants held hostage for 54 days, arrived in Moscow on Saturday.

At the airport in Moscow he was welcomed by Kuzbass’ senator Sergei Shatirov - at the order from the region’s Governor Aman Tuleyev.

Gorelov thanked the Russian foreign ministry and the embassy in Syria, the Federation Council and Governor Tuleyev for the support in his liberation and stressed Kuzbass’ authorities had helped him to process all documents necessary for returning home, the region’s press service of the administration said on Saturday.

Gorelov feels well, though he is very tired, as the trip was complicated: from Damascus to Beirut by a car, then by air to Moscow. His dream is to see the family, to hug his wife and grandson. Now the man is at a hotel, and in the afternoon he is taking a flight to Novokuznetsk, where his family will meet him on Sunday morning.

Gorelov, an experienced materials processing engineer, with a 42-year work record at the West Siberia Metallurgical Combine – has many times worked on assignments in India and China to commission blast furnaces. On October 6 last year he went to Syria under a contract between a Yekaterinburg firm and the private company Hmisho.

On December 12 armed opposition militants abducted Gorelov together with his Syrian interpreter Abdel Sattar Hassun, having Russian citizenship, and Italian citizen Mario Belluomo. All of them were released on February 3 in exchange for militants taken prisoner by the Syrian army.

“It took the abductors a while to decide our future. Apparently, they were bargaining among themselves over what is to be done to us. We were taken from place to place during night time. They kept us at each address for no more than two or three days. We had meals twice a day – tea, coffee, bread and canned food. Also, we were given warm clothes and a blanket for the night. Yet there were some very dramatic moments, when we had the feeling that those would be the last days and minutes in our life,” Gorelov told Itar-Tass correspondent Dmitry Zelenin in Beirut.

The steel worker recalls that quite often the hostages were guarded by 14-year-old youths, who were very emotional and waving rifles all the time.

“When I was allowed to call home a second time – that was after the New Year holidays, I said goodbye to my wife just in case and asked to remember me,” he said.

Now, Gorelov said, he is beginning to feel more at ease.

“It’s good my health did not fail me,” he said.

Gorelov was unable to leave Syria immediately after his release due to problems with documents. The press-service of the Kemerovo Region’s government said the foreign Ministry, the Russian embassy in Syria, the chief of the consular department, Karen Vasilian, and Kemerovo Governor Aman Tuleyev did their utmost for his early return.

At home Gorelov will take a course of rehabilitation treatment. The regional government will fund all expenses, Governor Tuleyev said. The Evraz group, of which the West Siberian Combine (Gorelov’s former employer) is an affiliate, will take care of its employee, too.