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They were joined at the meeting by Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar and President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia Alexander Boroda.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: First of all, I would like to greet you and offer my congratulations on the fact that we have this opportunity to talk to you, you now have this opportunity to be together, to be back home. Unfortunately, your father is not here to join you, which is a tragedy, but I do not think we need to focus on this matter right now. Thank God that you are alive and well.

I will not share any political assessments or perspectives regarding the ongoing developments. That said, everything that happened to you was a great tragedy, while the fact that you can now walk free is a result of Russia’s years-long commitment to maintaining stable relations with the people of Palestine, its representatives and all kinds of structures and organisations. I think we should express our gratitude to Hamas leaders and its political wing for accommodating our request and making this gesture. Setting you free was a humanitarian gesture on their part. I wanted to congratulate you on this occasion.

Of course, we will do everything to have as many cases like yours as possible and as frequently as possible so that all people who find themselves in a situation like the one you had to endure for so long can also be freed. (Turning to Alexander Trufanov.) How long was it for you?

Alexander Trufanov: 498 days.

Vladimir Putin: 498 days… Once again, I sincerely hope that all those who are currently going through what you have had to endure, are set free.

I am very glad to see you and would like to wish you all the best, family happiness and well-being.

Yelena Trufanova: Thank you very much. I would like to thank you in person, the Russian government in general, and the whole country for all the efforts you have made to secure our liberation. My mother and I were set free in late November 2023 thanks to Russia’s efforts, as well as your personal involvement. I learned about the death of my husband on the day that I was freed from captivity, and I also found out that my only son and my mother’s only grandson had been taken hostage. That was a very challenging time for me.

This year has been extremely challenging for me. I have been receiving support throughout this difficult time from distinguished Rabbi Lazar, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Israel, and Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov.

Throughout this time, we have been in contact and I have known that they are doing everything they can to secure Sasha’s release. And finally, he is back.

I would like to mention that the 80^th anniversary of the Great Victory is coming up. My grandmother, Sasha’s great-grandmother, was a frontline doctor. She also sustained wounds, was captured by the Nazis but managed to escape and met the end of the war in a partisan unit in Belarus. Sasha makes the fourth generation of our family that has been in captivity. I hope this part of our history will stop here.

Vladimir Putin: God willing. You have indeed a remarkable family history. Your grandmother…

Yelena Trufanova: True, my grandmother was in Nazi captivity; also, my mother, myself, and Sasha have been captives.

Vladimir Putin: Your grandmother fought during the Great Patriotic War?

Yelena Trufanova: Yes, she was a military doctor. She was wounded near Kursk and taken captive. She managed to escape and joined a partisan unit. With the partisans, she met the end of the war.

Vladimir Putin: Your family is directly related to the Great Patriotic War and bringing Victory.

(Addressing Alexander Trufanov.) Once again, congratulations to you on reuniting with your family and your fiancée.

Alexander Trufanov: It is very important for me to tell you that I am very grateful for the efforts you took to secure our release. I also want to say that at this moment, it is very important to me that the other hostages also be released. Because I know how they are feeling there and what they are experiencing, how difficult it is and how sad they are. They are like brothers to me. While they are still there, I feel like half of my own heart is still in Gaza. It will be extremely difficult for me to return to my normal life as long as they remain there.

Vladimir Putin: Absolutely.

Alexander Trufanov: Mr President, please continue to do everything you did for me and before that. I know you have done a great deal for them to become free and happy again like I am now when I sit next to my family and my people whom I love dearly. It is very important to me.

Vladimir Putin: We will work on that for sure.

Alexander Trufanov: Thank you very much.

Berel Lazar: If you remember, during our first meeting, when we spoke about this, you said: “I will do everything I can.” And I told his mother [Yelena Trufanova] that not only by praying to God… They found God in this story, I would say. But also the President’s promise made me certain that it would happen. During those difficult times, your support was very important.

Vladimir Putin: Indeed, we did everything in our power. We really tried. Thank God, we succeeded in your case.

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