Moscow officials took credit for the release of Russian-Israeli hostage Alexander Sasha Troufanov, 29, in various statements on Saturday without mentioning Israeli efforts to free him.
While all statements from the Kremlin expressed relief that Troufanov is alive and appeared well, they notably chose to thank Hamas and other Arab leadership in their statements.
“Moscow welcomes the release of Alexander Troufanov in Palestine and expresses gratitude to the Hamas leadership for their decision,” Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov told Russian reporters on Saturday, as reported by TASS.
The Kremlin’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova thanked Russia’s partners in the Middle East, including Hamas leadership, and credited Moscow for the release of Russian nationals.
“We are grateful to the Palestinian side, as well as our Qatari and Egyptian partners, for their assistance in the successful resolution of this matter,” she wrote in a Saturday statement on the Foreign Ministry’s Telegram. “Thanks to the efforts of Russian diplomats, three Russian citizens—Roni Krivoy, Yelena Troufanova, and Irina Tatti—were also released in November 2023 during the so-called humanitarian pause,” Zakharova wrote.
Friends of Sasha Troufanov watching his release from captivity at Kfar Hamaccabiah, Ramat Gan (Credit: Paulina Patimer)
Russia claims credit for hostage release
She continued on to say that it was “worth noting that they were freed unconditionally, without any demands for reciprocal steps from the Israeli side.”
Russian ambassador to Isarel Anatoly Viktorov said that he was relieved that Troufanov was released and that he hoped to congratulate him and his family soon.
“It is particularly satisfying that among those released is Alexander Troufanov, who also holds Russian citizenship, for whose release we made every possible effort,” Viktorov wrote in a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram.
“I would like to remind that following the tragic events of October 7, 2023, in accordance with the instructions of the Russian leadership, the Russian Foreign Ministry and our diplomats in the Middle East region, in coordination with Israeli authorities and other interested parties, did everything necessary to resolve this humanitarian issue as quickly as possible,” he wrote. “This was a priority in our contacts with the Palestinian side, which ultimately contributed to the release of A. Troufanov during the first stage of the current exchange of detainees.”
He continued on to say that he wished the best for the Troufanov family, whom he claimed Russia secured the release for, and that he hoped that Sasha would make a speedy recovery.
“I am sincerely happy for Alexander’s family, especially, of course, for his mother, Yelena Troufanova, and grandmother, Irina Tatti, with whom we remained in contact the entire time after their release with active Russian involvement in November 2023. I hope to personally congratulate Alexander and his family on their return to a full and normal life as soon as possible.”
Moscow noted that it would continue to work to secure the release of hostage Maxim Herkin, 36, a native of the heavily contested Donbas region of Ukraine.
“We intend to continue vigorously working towards prompt return of another compatriot still in Gaza, M. Herkin, a native of Donbas, and also ensure that the Hamas leadership pays due attention to other humanitarian requests from the Russian side,” Zakharova wrote.
Troufanov was held by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza for nearly 500 days before his release. He returns to his mother, Yelena Troufanova, his grandmother, Irina Tatti, and his girlfriend, Sapir Cohen, who were all released from captivity in November 2023.
He returned to the news that his father was killed on October 7.
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