A Year and a Half Since Their Last Conversation
For the first time in a year and a half, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone call this evening (Tuesday) with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders exchanged greetings in honor of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, and also discussed current regional developments.
Efforts to Free the Remaining Hostages
During the call, Netanyahu emphasized the decisive role played by the Red Army in defeating the Nazis and highlighted the significant contribution of Jewish commanders and soldiers during the war. Beyond the historical context, the conversation also focused on ongoing regional matters.
Journalist Moriah Asraf reported that Netanyahu thanked Putin for his role in helping to secure the release of hostage Sasha Troufanov from Hamas captivity. The two leaders also spoke about the continued Israeli efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.
A Family History of Captivity—From the Nazis to Hamas
Sasha returned to Israel on February 15, 2025, after being abducted from his home in Nir Oz along with his mother Yelena, his grandmother Irina, and his girlfriend Sapir Cohen, who had been visiting his family for the first time. Sasha’s father, Vitaly Troufanov, was murdered.
Irina and Yelena were released in a hostage deal on November 29, 2023. Sapir was freed the following day.
Last month, Sasha met with Putin in Moscow, alongside Yelena and Sapir. During the meeting, Sasha told Putin what gave him hope while in captivity. He shared that he had faced life-threatening situations many times and had even been shot after confronting his captors.
“I was alone most of the time. I didn’t know what was happening to my family. When I heard that my mother, Sapir, and my grandmother had been freed—it gave me hope to hold on,” he told the Russian president.
During the meeting, Yelena recounted a painful family history, with several generations having been taken captive, including a great-grandmother who was captured by the Nazis, and grandmother Irina, who was abducted by Hamas terrorists along with her daughter on the morning of the October 7 massacre.
Israel Will Not Stop Until Hamas Is Defeated
The previous conversation between the two leaders took place on December 10, 2023, preceded by a call on October 17, about a week and a half after the Hamas attack on Israel. At that time, Netanyahu stated: “Israel was attacked by vile and brutal murderers. It entered the war with determination and unity—and it will not stop until Hamas’s military and governing capabilities are destroyed.”
