MOSCOW. Oct 15 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry and Russia's Embassy in Damascus are investigating the circumstances of Russian citizen Konstantin Zhuravlyov's detention by militants in Syria and are working to secure his release as soon as possible, the ministry said on its website on Tuesday.
"We hope that those who are currently holding Zhuravlyov will display common sense, and we also count on all the forces able to influence the Syrian armed opposition contributing to his safe return to Russia," the ministry said.
"Regrettably, Zhuravlyov ignored the recommendations repeatedly published by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which advised Russian citizens against traveling to Syria swept up by the internal armed conflict," it said.
Zhuravlyov was reportedly detained by the Liva al-Tauhid armed group in northern Syria at the beginning of October. On their website, the group's members called Zhuravlyov a "Russian spy" and promised to decide his fate "based on the results of the Sharia investigation".