MOLDOVAN PILOTS LIBERATED FROM AFGHAN CAPTIVITY WITH RUSSIAN LEADERSHIP’S HELP – PRESIDENT DODON

Two Moldovan pilots, who had stayed in captivity in Afghanistan for nearly three and a half years, were happily released last Saturday, Moldova President Igor Dodon announced at a press briefing in Chisinau on Monday.

According to him, pilots Ion Buruiana (born in 1982) and Mihai Crihan (1965) worked in Afghanistan for the United States government that tried to release them but without a success.

“Last year, I addressed for help to the Russian Federation leadership, to our Russian friends and partners. With their help, we have solved this problem. This past Saturday, the Moldovan pilots were delivered to Moscow. Now they are in a Moscow hospital, and are being attended by doctors and psychologists”, said Dodon.

“Their condition is reportedly satisfactory but we are looking forward to hearing the results of specialists’ in-depth examination. One should understand that the pilots were kept in a pit for 3.5 years. They did not see the sunlight, and lived only on bread and water. They did not believe in their liberation until the last moment, being afraid to utter a word. In Moscow, they fell onto their knees before Presidential Adviser Pavel Voicu who addressed to them in the Moldovan language”, said Igor Dodon.

In his words, the release operation took several months to complete. Dodon expressed a particular gratitude to Igor Chaika, Chairman of the Association “The Business-Like Russia”, who played a particular role in the solution of this humanitarian problem.

“I want to express our special gratitude to the Russian Federation leadership. You have done what other parties have failed to. The Russian people is a really friendly, fraternal people that responded to our request, and we have resolved this problem”, said Igor Dodon.

The President said he would fly to Moscow to personally deliver the Moldovan pilots to Chisinau.

“It was a secret operation, which practically nobody knew about, including the prisoners’ families. In the nearest hours, they will speak with their relatives by phone, and will shortly come home. I will go to Moscow this upcoming weekend, or early next week”, said Igor Dodon.

As was already reported by Infotag, on November 24, 2015 a MI-8 helicopter belonging to the Valan ICC Company of Moldova was carrying out a routine flying job in the framework of a peacekeeping operation under the United Nations’ aegis in Afghanistan and, carrying a total of 21 persons on board, mostly the Afghanistan governmental soldiers and officers, was shot down by Talibs. A crew member managed to contact the Valan Company to say that they made a forced landing in the Fariab Province controlled by the Taliban. Three people died during an exchange of fire, and 18 were taken prisoners. After that the Talibs burned down the helicopter.

Air vessel commander Oleg Groza died in the machine crash. His body was delivered to Chisinau in December 2015.