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Putin says Russia helped find Baumel’s body

[ssba]

President Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia worked behind the scenes to recover the body of IDF soldier Zachary Baumel.

Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow yesterday, President Putin said Russian soldiers in Syria discovered the body of Staff Sergeant Zachary Baumel, which was returned to Israel on an El Al flight earlier this week. Baumel had been listed as missing in action since the first war in Lebanon in 1982.

Netanyahu said: “Two years ago I turned to you with a personal request – that you help us in finding the remains of the soldiers … out of the great shared values of comrades-in-arms and fellowship of soldiers. You responded immediately. You said that you would act personally. I would like to thank you, my friend, for myself and for the people of Israel, for what you have done, for the brave friendship between us, which is very important for our country and is very important for the relations between us. But I think that here it is on a higher level and has expressed a great common value that unites our two peoples.”

Netanyahu said that Baumel’s family were overwhelmed with emotion after they were informed his remains were found:  “I told them that Russian troops risked their lives to search for his remains and they were left speechless.”

Putin said: “Our soldiers together with Syrian partners established his resting place. We are very happy that they will be able to give him the necessary military honours at home.”

The two leaders also discussed the current situation in Syria and according to Israeli media reports, the Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov demanded Israel give Russia earlier warning before any attacks on military targets in Syria. Russia and Israel have recently been in talks about updating the existing de-confliction agreement in Syria that has been in place since 2015. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu attended an official ceremony at the Russian Defence Ministry, where he was given Zachary Baumel’s personal effects.