Among the victims was Yelizaveta Glinka, known in Russia as “Doctor Liza,” who had won broad acclaim for her charity work, which included missions to the war zone in eastern Ukraine. Her foundation announced that she was accompanying a shipment of medicines for a hospital in Syria. Russian state television showed her accepting an honor from Putin for her work.
When she and fellow workers depart for a war zone, she said at the ceremony this month, “We never know whether we’ll return, because war is hell on Earth.”
The Defense Ministry published on its website a list of passengers, who included members of the famed Alexandrov ensemble, better known internationally as the Red Army Choir, heading to Syria to entertain Russian military personnel for the New Year holiday.
The choir, founded in 1928, has performed around the world and during the Cold War presented a human face for the Soviet Union with its repertoire of famed Russian folk songs. More recently, the ensemble, which numbered about 200 singers, dancers and musicians, added popular Western music to its performances. Among those who were on the plane that crashed Sunday, according to the list, was the ensemble’s artistic director, Valery Khalilov.
Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets told the Tass news agency that Khalilov’s death was an “irreplaceable loss” and that he had “made a huge contribution in contemporary culture above being the head of the orchestra and a composer.”
U.S. Ambassador John Tefft joined other diplomats and international leaders in offering condolences.
