Kherson. Archival photoKHERSON, 11 Jun. The Syrian ship Sea Lord, stuck together with part of the crew in the port of Kherson since the beginning of the special operation, cannot return home due to the lack of security guarantees on the route from Ukraine, ship captain Mustafa Tartusi told RIA Novosti. According to him, Russia has already sent an official notification that the exit corridor from its side has been secured, and the mines have been cleared.
"But the danger remains from the Ukrainian side. As far as I know, an ordinary ship from a nearby port requested permission to leave from the Russian and Ukrainian sides. They were allowed, but ten minutes later a rocket was fired at them. This is a direct threat,» Tartusi explained.
He also shared his impressions of Kherson, noting that the city lives an ordinary peaceful life.
The captain of a ship stuck in Kherson spoke about the help of the Russian military «People really live normally <…> We lived through wartime in Syria and saw what happened, and it affected us economically and morally. Here we did not notice this … If they say (according to television, — Ed.), which is very bad, the reality is no more than ten percent. Cafes and restaurants are open, people are there. Even on some city beaches people are already gathering, «the captain shared. In addition, Tartusi spoke about of the crew's life over the past three and a half months, noting the positive psychological state of the team. sailors have access to mobile Internet, and they are in touch with their families. Thanks to the help of the Russian military, there are no difficulties with food and medicine, there is enough drinking water,» he stressed. Russian servicemen from the first days was completely positive. All conditions were created for the team «to make them feel at home, only the language is different».In Russia, a project was launched to help refugees from the Donbass «We will live» «They treat us especially, firstly, understanding that we are sailors who are hostages of the situation, and at the same time we are Syrians. And this causes a positive reaction. Relations as friends And in the city, the people with whom we crossed paths also receive us very warmly,» the captain added. Tartusi noted that their employer also took the necessary measures to support the remaining members of the team, doubling the allowance for everyone. «We are left nine people. All have executive and administrative tasks. As soon as the issue is resolved, we will be able, upon receipt of instructions, to load the remaining cargo, or if there is an order to leave, the team will be able to bring the ship to the nearest port or to the port in Istanbul, «he concluded. Sea Lord, like some other merchant ships, including three Turkish ones, continue to be in the port and in the roadstead near the sea harbor. Most of the foreign sailors were evacuated before mid-May thanks to the efforts of the Russian side and the diplomatic missions of a number of countries whose citizens were blocked in Kherson. about Russia's assistance to Donbass in the field of health protection