Anhara KochnevaIn a new YouTube video showing Ukranian journalist Anhara Kochneva who was abducted in Syria, she told she worked for the Russian intelligence services. She asked the Russian and Ukrainian officials to respond to her captors’ demands without specifying them.
“I came to Syria in January 2012 as a journalist with a forged ID but my main task was to translate between Syrian officers and their Russian counterparts,” Kochneva said in Arabic in a three-minute video. "I'm here (in Syria) at the behest of Russian intelligence.”
Kochneva said she took part in Syrian army operations in Baba Amro, Zabadani and translated for Russian officer Petr Petrov and some two Syrian officers.
“I was kidnapped when I was returning from Tartus to Damascus with a Syrian officer who was assigned to protect me. I ask the government of Russia and Ukraine to respond to the kidnappers' demands.”
(Agencies)