Varvara Karaulova biography personal life. The true story of the Russian woman Varvara Karaulova in an exclusive interview with Channel One: what pushed her under the ISIS flags. Where do you get such a circle of friends?

Later, representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation named articles under which Karaulova could be held liable - Article 30 (“Preparation for a crime and attempted crime”) and 208 (“Organization of an illegal armed group or participation in it”) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. This implies imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.

AiF.ru tells about what is known about Varvara Karaulova.

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Dossier

Varvara Pavlovna Karaulova is 19 years old. The girl's parents divorced, but both her father and mother took an active part in her upbringing. Karaulova lived with her mother.

Karaulova studied in the second year of the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University, at the Department of Cultural Studies. The girl speaks several languages ​​and is engaged in Thai boxing at the level of a professional athlete.

In September 2014, Karaulova became interested in Arabic culture and began to study Arabic, but relatives did not see "anything strange" in this.

However, according to Karaulova’s lawyer Alexander Karabanov, who represents her interests, Varvara’s friends began to notice books about radical Islam in her. Also, the girl, according to her father, left the house “in the clothes of a normal Moscow student”, and appeared at Moscow State University in a hijab and dark clothes with long sleeves. This change did not raise questions from teachers and fellow students.

disappearance

Varvara Karaulova disappeared on May 27. At about 10 o'clock in the morning she went to Moscow State University. She explained to her mother that she was going to go to a meeting about organizing a student summer camp and then return home. However, at about nine o'clock in the evening, an SMS message was received from the girl that she would not be able to walk the dog, after which her phone stopped answering.

After the disappearance of the girl, her parents contacted the police. A few days later, Karaulova's father found out that her daughter had received a passport from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after which she flew from Sheremetyevo Airport to Istanbul on flight SU2132.

The lawyer and his client are sure that Karaulova was recruited by supporters of the Islamic State. In turn, sources in the Turkish police are skeptical about this version. According to the Turkish police, they have no data that Karaulova “went to radical Islamists”.

Image copyright RIA Novosti Image caption The court sentenced Varvara Karaulova to four and a half years in prison in a penal colony

Varvara Karaulova, who was found guilty by the Moscow District Military Court of trying to join the Islamic State extremist group, listened to the verdict calmly, as if not even surprised.

The next three-plus years - given the period spent in pre-trial detention - the former student of the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University will have to spend in a penal colony.

The court considered it proven that Karaulova, who officially changed her name to Alexandra Ivanova, deliberately tried to travel to Syria in order to join the Islamic State and participate in its terrorist activities.

Public Prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the case.

But Karaulova's lawyers did not hide their disappointment and immediately after the meeting announced that they would appeal the verdict.

Half an hour after the end of the reading of the verdict, Varvara's parents, Pavel and Kira Karaulov, came out to the journalists.

The Karaulovs have been divorced for a long time, they came to the court hearings of their daughter with their new spouses and - as it seemed from the outside - they hardly even communicated with each other. However, after the verdict was announced, they answered questions together.

"We have a punitive state"

Pavel Karaulov: What can I say? We have roared and can now speak to you. For me, this is not a surprise, but simply absurd. Even now I don’t understand that [a] real term was awarded.

We really had a desire to help, to reveal, to hinder. Who else, if not me, if not my daughter, could all this [recruitment of new members of the Islamic State among the youth], if not stop, then significantly slow down. After all, not everyone understands the scale of the disaster that is happening.

And Varya spoke about this in her bright speech yesterday. That these are not the scales of Russia, these are the scales of the whole world. And now a bold black cross has been put on this.

Image caption Varvara Karaulova's parents did not expect such a harsh sentence

Kira Karaulova: None of this chain, not a single person was found or identified. None! As they continued their criminal activities, they continue. It's just that no one needs it.

We have a punitive state, cruel. The man referred to today by the judge, a witness who told stories about the Islamic State to please the investigation and who was given four years for fighting on the side of the Islamic State and Jabhad al-Nusra, who was the commander of an intelligence group who came to our country with forged documents to carry out terrorist activities - so this person was given [only] four years!

Pavel Karaulov A: Two important points. Witness immunity applies throughout the world. When we returned, all the officials, including [the former representative of the Investigative Committee, Vladimir] Markin, said that Varya was a witness. As it turned out now, we did not have immunity.

It is probably my mistake that we did not sign any documents, wanting to cooperate in every possible way and in every possible way encouraging the actions of employees, in particular the Federal Security Service.

And most importantly: what today's accusation is based on is, in fact, self-incrimination. Self-incrimination under the influence of the investigator, which was clearly stated.

Understand that all over the world, in our country too, this kind of self-incrimination that occurs without video and audio recording, but there is none, it cannot be taken into account, it is inhumane.

Yes, she, despite her seemingly twenty years, was a child. It was very difficult for her. Having found herself in such conditions, trying - no matter how sad it sounds - to please the investigation, she followed what the adults told her. And she managed to change her mind only when lawyers got involved, when gradually, after six months, she began to trust them. Then she began to give truthful testimony. And today in court this truthful testimony is worthless.

Kira Karaulova: All our testimonies and Varya's testimonies were called into question. The testimony of the investigator, the FSB officers, the expert, who is a career FSB officer, was not called into question for some reason. That is, our testimonies are biased, their testimonies are crystal clear - amazing logic.

Pavel Karaulov: I did my best to ensure that the FSB knew about our every step, about our every action. I did everything and persuaded my daughter to contribute in every possible way to this. I believed that this should not only be stopped, punished, eradicated. Our children cannot suffer even if their parents make a mistake.

Of course I made a mistake. But it turns out that I made a mistake by contacting the one who should ensure our safety.

"We did not expect such a degree of injustice"

Kira Karaulova: I also want to add that not a single real fact was included in the basis of the indictment. Except for the existence of the correspondence itself. Everything else was interpreted as convenient for the investigation.

Pavel Karaulov A: One simple moment. Today, this was also discussed: that there is allegedly a person who has not been identified, who was not called either during the investigation or during the trial. We don't know who he is, what identification he has, or indeed if he really exists.

And another very important point, which for some reason did not sound today. Varya, with the assistance of employees involved in communication, she again became a victim of this communication. And a month before she was taken to the pre-trial detention center, she stopped all communication. And article 205 says that if a person voluntarily stops cooking, he is released from liability.

It all really happened, it's impossible not to see. There is not a single letter, not a single SMS, not a single call, not a single message that Varya would have written after mid-September.

Kira Karaulova: Despite the fact that they tried to reach her and it is not known who it was. Was it Samatov himself [the man who influenced Varvara Karaulova to convert to Islam and decide to flee to IS] or the FSB tried to provoke her back. Since they [the FSB officers] cowardly crawled away, the thought creeps into my mind, maybe it was a pure provocation?

This is a lesson for our people. Anyone can take her place. Because someone will decide that you think so, and not otherwise. And interprets your words or letter as it sees fit.

Pavel Karaulov: We did not expect such a degree of injustice. Nevertheless, there are already obvious facts for the European Court of Human Rights, documented, the appeal is accepted. The only thing is that there is a rather long period of consideration, but I am sure what conclusion the ECHR will take in any case.

I have spoken to those parents who come to me for help in a situation either close to or preceding the one in which we find ourselves. There are absolutely simple things: feel free to talk to your children, ask them questions, try to participate in their lives.

"I left my family and even my beloved dog"

The court concluded that Ivanova held extremely radical views on Islam and justified waging the so-called holy war - jihad.

According to the verdict, Karaulova realized that she was going to take part in the activities of a terrorist organization, and after returning to Russia, she justified the activities of the Islamic State and hatched plans to re-departure for ISIS.

Thus, according to the court, she committed a crime that is qualified in the Criminal Code as preparation for participation in the activities of a terrorist organization.

Image copyright RIA Novosti Image caption According to the girl, her love for the IS recruiter was sick and inadequate

On the eve of Varvara Karaulova, speaking with the last word in court, she called her behavior a teenage rebellion both with her relatives and with the special services.

She also noted that she did not undergo any training to join the ranks of the IS.

At the same time, the girl admitted that she had romantic feelings for an Islamic State militant named Samatov, but stressed that "love was sick and inadequate."

According to the state prosecution, Karaulova deliberately wanted to join the jihadists of the IS, for which she left her family and even her beloved dog and left for Turkey, in order to then cross the border and end up in Syria.

Lawyers Ilya Novikov, Gadzhi Aliyev and Sergey Badamshin tried to convince the court of the complete innocence of their client.

Karaulova pleads not guilty. She explained her attempt to escape to Syria by saying that she fell in love with one of the recruiters she met on social networks.

Varvara Karaulova went missing in May 2015. It soon became clear that she secretly flew to Turkey and was detained there while trying to cross the border with Syria. From Turkey, she was deported to her homeland, where she came under the supervision of the FSB.

In October, Karaulova from Lomonosov Moscow State University.

According to Karaulov, his daughter is an excellent student, knows several languages, and may have been dressed according to Muslim traditions when fleeing. Billing detected the girl's phone near the Syrian-Turkish border. They probably took her there. Information appeared in the media that Varya was detained while trying to cross the Turkish-Syrian border. According to the lawyer of the Karaulov family, the fugitive did not commit any offenses, and if she explains why she came to Turkey, she may be able to stay there. However, it is not clear whether the Karaulov family will agree to this. Meanwhile, a source in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation said that if it is confirmed that Varvara Karaulova was recruited, then a criminal case could be opened against her, which means that Russian law enforcement officers would demand her extradition.

The girl is currently being held at the Turkish National Migration Agency. Earlier, the Russian embassy announced that the girl would be extradited to Russia.

The family is currently refusing to communicate with the press, and Pavel Karaulov himself tearfully pleads through social networks: “Dear journalists! Be people! Don't touch my family!"

Why Varya?

I must say, a lot of information about the fugitive loser leaked to the press. Varya is an excellent student, she knows many languages, at one time she was strongly involved in Orthodoxy and was even fond of nationalist ideas. As one of the publications that talked with Varvara's mother found out, everything changed with the divorce of her parents. The girl, probably yearning for her father, became isolated, stopped communicating with her peers, despite her attractive appearance, was not fond of romantic dates, did not go to the company, especially if they drank there. She became seriously interested in Islam and even stopped wearing a pectoral cross ...

But at home, she apparently hid new hobbies - she went to university in ordinary clothes, but there, they say, she changed into a long skirt and a hijab. “We were very surprised how a girl who was a nationalist suddenly started wearing a hijab in six months,” Varvara's classmates told Life News.

Probably, the parents noticed something, since Varvara's mother said that, having begun to get involved in Islam, Varya cooled off towards her beloved dog - they say, an unclean animal. By the way, the dog also figured in the story of Varya's disappearance - on May 27, allegedly leaving for the institute, the girl unexpectedly called her relatives and asked to walk the dog, which she had never done before.

19-year-old Moscow State University student Varvara Karaulova, who, according to her father, was forced by unknown people to go to Turkey and then to Syria, was supposed to return to Moscow before the holidays. True, the deportation was delayed due to the girl's lack of a passport and the execution of all the necessary papers.

Under what circumstances could her passport be stolen? What awaits Varya upon returning home? And why the special services should have paid attention to her at the age of 15, the girl's lawyer Alexander Karabanov told MK.

We very much hope so. There is a legal process. The fact is that Varvara's passport was stolen, now her documents are being restored. Her extradition directly depends on this. Varia's passport was deliberately stolen in order to keep her in Turkey for some time. She was taken under tight control to deprive her of free movement.

Was she crossing the border illegally, or was it still a border checkpoint?

The entire group was detained on June 5 at passport control at the official border crossing in Kilis. They have not yet crossed the Syrian border. Varya was already wanted by Interpol. Therefore, she was detained.

What does Varya plan to do as soon as she returns home?

Wants to return to normal life. The issue of passing the session at Moscow State University will be discussed. Now Varya hardly understands how she got involved in this whole story. I spoke to her father. She admits that some psychological training was used against her, and maybe even psychotropic drugs.

Earlier, the media reported that no traces of any narcotic substances were found in the tests taken from Vari.

I have no information that Varya had any medical research. But it should be noted that now there are many psychotropic drugs that are excreted from the body quickly enough and do not leave any traces in the blood or urine of a person.

Experts say that upon arrival in Moscow, Varya will undergo an in-depth psychological and psychiatric examination.

Of course, in order to determine whether her free will or someone influenced her will to leave Russia, such examinations will be needed. This is in our interest.

Read the material: Lawyer: Varvara Karaulova announced the use of psychotropic substances against her

Will Varia's mother be met at the airport?

The situation with her mother is difficult, she has a tough relationship with Varya, but I think that she should still come to meet her daughter, because she is very worried.

Can the version that Varya fell in love and therefore followed her chosen one to Turkey, and then to Syria, be completely ruled out?

All this remains to be seen. How do recruiters work? Some are recruited through personal relationships, some for an idea, some for money. With regard to Vari, the impact was non-standard. This is a case that goes beyond all norms and rules. The man went to the university in the morning, and then suddenly ended up in Turkey. In an instant, memories of relatives, friends, plans for the day were erased. With regard to Varya, targeted work was applied. Here acted a man with non-standard abilities.

Now more and more young people from good families are being recruited. Either they are used as a tool to influence their parents, or they are sold, or they are trained to recruit in their own social environment. Varya is essentially a trained agent. She knew perfectly 4 languages, studied Arabic, had unique abilities. Previously, special services tracked such gifted children, watched them from the age of 15, then sent them for further education, where they improved according to a special program. And now Varya has been “clicked through”. But someone noticed and decided to use it to their advantage.

I am grateful to the media for covering the story of Varya. By joint efforts, we may finally make the law enforcement agencies work. Previously, they did not want to notice this problem. Meanwhile, last year alone, according to the head of the FSB, the number of Russian citizens fighting in the ranks of ISIS in Syria and Iraq has approximately doubled, to 1,500-1,700 people.

Yesterday morning Pavel Karaulov was expected in our editorial office. He was supposed to come and tell a narrow circle of journalists about how he managed to bring Varya home. I am sure that this would be the best support for those whose relatives nevertheless remained there - in the world of radical Islam. Unfortunately, the interview did not take place. At the last moment, Pavel refused to meet. It's a pity.

But the day before, he presented the so-called press release, according to which a conversation with journalists was supposed to take place. In it, he honestly and openly wrote how Varya ended up in the hands of recruiters, how she was returned home, and to whom Pavel is grateful for having found his beloved daughter again.

Permission to partially publish this letter was given to us by the lawyer of the Karaulov family, Alexander Karabanov. The result of the meeting with journalists, to which Varya's father did not come, was supposed to be "truthful and complete information from the" first hand ". We fully support this principle by publishing the message verbatim.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

It all started back in 2013. Varya met a boy on the Internet. The range of interests was close, and the teenager's slightly hooligan manners only kindled the interest of an excellent student.

Daily virtual communication steadily led to the kindling of seemingly mutual feelings. And now the words of sympathy and love have already flashed. As a result of long communication, during which the boy repeatedly offered personal meetings for which Varya was not ready, feelings grew, topics of joint interests arose: football, fitness, martial arts. Quite skillfully the conversation turned to Islam – the true values!

As a result of long and skillful processing, which took place against the backdrop of romantic interest, interest in Islam grew into a desire to become a part of it.

After the boy disappeared for almost 2 months, the resulting emptiness was extremely painful. And then, one day, he appeared again. He called his already bride to the country of modern dreams, revolutionary aspirations and purity! Varya could not resist, especially since all the technical aspects had already been thought out.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS

May 27 - Varya left for Moscow State University and did not return home. On the same night, on the basis of the parents' appeal to the local department, an investigative team of the Ministry of Internal Affairs left for the place of residence. Varia received a text message with a request to take the dog for a walk.

May 28 - Varya's parents filed applications with law enforcement agencies, the Russian Foreign Ministry, and other state authorities. Information about the missing child was posted on social networks. Received an email from Vari.

May 29 - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation confirmed the receipt of Varey's foreign passport. Aeroflot informed about the purchase of a ticket in the name of Vari and a flight to Istanbul (Turkey).

May 30 - Varya's parents filed an application with Interpol, the Turkish Embassy in the Russian Federation. Appeals were sent to international organizations for the search and rescue of people. All friends and acquaintances, acquaintances of acquaintances, simply empathetic people are raised to their feet. There has been an appeal to the media. The passage of the Varey border at Ataturk Airport was confirmed by the Turkish authorities.

May 31 - Vari is confirmed to be in certain areas of Istanbul. A decision was made to immediately fly my father to Turkey. The reposts of the publication in social networks reached the figure of 20,000.

June 1 - According to information from Turkey, coming from various sources, Varya may already be in another city, so the decision to fly is questionable.

June 2 - Active communication and exchange of information with caring people around the world, volunteers. A huge amount of information about how the recruitment and transfer to the territory of Syria, which is not controlled by the official authorities, from Turkey takes place. Father flies to Turkey. The same evening, the first application was submitted to the airport police.

June 3 - From the very morning in Istanbul, with the help of friends and a lawyer, my father goes through all the necessary procedural process in Turkey: the Prosecutor's Office - the Judiciary - the Special Unit of the Turkish Police. From that day on, searches began by all Turkish law enforcement agencies.

June 4 - According to mobile phone billing, the father, accompanied by friends and journalists, visits various, including remote areas of Istanbul, in search of his daughter. Natives of the countries of the former USSR are interviewed, and conversations are also held with the mullahs of mosques in all the surroundings.

In the evening of the same day, information was received about the detention of a group of immigrants from Russia and Azerbaijan on the border with Syria. In one of the detainees, the police identified Varya!

June 5 - A group of detainees, according to information from the police, is moving from the city of Kilis to the city of Batman. At the same time, the group makes an intermediate stop and should appear in Batman the very next day, June 6th.

June 7 - The place of stay of the group was finally established: the city of Batman, the migration department, a zone of enhanced security. Meeting with representatives of the Russian diaspora in Istanbul. The father decides to fly to Batman.

June 8 - We start at 4 am - departure to Diyarbakir and further transfer to Batman. At 12:00 a meeting with the head of the migration service took place. Permission granted to meet with daughter. At 16:20 the long-awaited meeting took place. All doubts disappeared. Varya is alive and unharmed!

June 9 - Repeated meeting with overcoming all bureaucratic procedures. Meeting time - 5 minutes, for bureaucratic procedures - 4 hours.

June 10 - Negotiations with employees of the migration service and the police about Vari's departure to his homeland. The negotiations lasted about 7 hours and ended with a clear plan of departure to Russia along the route: Batman-Diyarbakir-Istanbul-Moscow.

QUESTION ANSWER

Two days before the meeting, journalists sent Pavel Karaulov (PC) their questions. He responded conscientiously to some of them. Some of these answers were confirmed to us by the lawyer of the family Alexander Karabanov (AK).

- Where is Varvara now and how does she feel?

PC: Varya is at home surrounded by relatives and friends.

- Have you noticed for Varvara that she was carried away by radical Islam?

PC: For us, what is happening was a complete revelation!

AK: The only thing the family noticed was that Varya removed the Orthodox cross from her chest. But then no one gave it any importance. Now parents understand - this was the point of no return.

When did she start wearing the hijab?

PC: Presumably in September-October 2014, putting it on after leaving the house.

- With whom did she communicate? Who in Moscow could shape her new attitude to life, to religion?

PC: Unfortunately, the circle of contacts did not work out at Moscow State University. Thus, there remained the Internet, social networks, WhatsApp groups (Internet messenger - a program for exchanging instant messages - Ed.), etc.

- What is your relationship with your daughter now?

PC: The relationship is still trusting. Her words "Dad, I was wrong!" - the most important words that I would have heard in recent years!

- Varya changed after what happened?

PC: There are certain changes, but in her heart she is still a Varya girl! Favorite daughter! And I don't blame her! She had suffered enough to realize her mistake.

- Will Varya continue her studies?

PC: Of course. Whether it will be Moscow State University or another educational institution, it is too early to say.

- Barbara converted to Islam?

PC: I respect any choice my daughter makes. There is no unambiguous certainty that Islam is her final choice, but she has the right to make this choice on her own! From my side, she will always find support and understanding!

- Was a survey conducted during the pre-investigation check?

PC: The survey was conducted at home. All answers were completely honest and frank.

AK: Varya was interviewed immediately upon arrival in Moscow. She gave a full account of how the events unfolded.

- The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation can charge Varvara, and what are you going to do in this regard?

PC: There is nothing to blame Varya for! There is no composition, just as there is not the slightest reason to open a case against Varya.

AK: Varya is not in danger! She is the victim, not the accused.

Meduza journalist Evgeny Berg spoke with Pavel Karaulov.

- You brought papers with you - are these cribs?

I'm just writing down the important points of the case. Every day I turn to them, update, correct. These are the theses that are important to understand - the accusation will crumble sooner or later.

What were your first impressions when you heard the verdict?

For me, this is the greatest tragedy. That which cannot be. Teenage mistakes, depressive state - no country has criminalized this.

- What are you going to do now?

The lawyers filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. From the very beginning we insisted that the accusation was based on nothing. The investigation is being conducted in order to get away from assumptions and appeal to evidence, facts, witnesses - but none of this is here. Some of the witnesses for the prosecution never even saw Varya and did not know [her]. And among the other witnesses were two investigators in the case, although the Code of Criminal Procedure says that this is impossible.

I rely on the wisdom of the Supreme Court. Lawyers noted that the Moscow District Military Court did not take into account the decision of the Plenum of the Supreme Court. It appeared recently, on November 3, 2016, it clearly states what terrorist actions are.

- It says that this is either propaganda of terrorism, or participation in the terrorist actions themselves.

Right. There must be an endorsement of terrorism by the defendants. And from the point of view of the court, Varya did not say that she did not like terrorism - and thus approved of it.

- Lawyers make predictions about the appeal?

Predictions in this case is a thankless topic. But I have a high confidence that all this will fall apart at the level of the European Court of Human Rights.

- When did this story start for you?

On the evening of May 27, 2015. That day, Varya told her mother that I would have it. We are divorced. Varya lives with her mother, but she also spends time with my family. At 11:30 p.m., the ex-wife calls: “Do you know where Varya is?” She says that she is not at home, although, as a rule, Varya was not later than nine in the evening. But most importantly, the first time she did not walk the dog in the evening.

- She could be with friends.

Almost all of her time was occupied by sports, studying at Moscow State University and a dog. She had great company at school. But then she entered Moscow State University, the Faculty of Philosophy - seven girls and one boy in the group. With school comrades, the distance grew, and over time, there were practically no friends left. Varya spent more and more time on the Internet.

- Wasn't there a young man too?

In general, I was shy, I did not ask such questions. He asked about friends, but not directly about boys. Although some thoughts crept in ... I spent a lot of time at work, in general, a flaw. The first love was by correspondence on the Internet, as it turned out later. Her friends told.

- How did you look for it?

That same night, my ex-wife and I went to write a statement to the police. Then I spent two days searching in Moscow. He connected everyone he could. The next day I was at the central reception of the FSB, writing a statement. It was Friday, they didn’t want to accept, but, to be honest, I lost my temper a little, and still they accepted.

- Why the FSB? Was a police report not enough?

It was already everywhere: the prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Everything I called first of all - hospitals and so on - she was not there. It was necessary to expand the circle of searches, and I did it. Connecting everyone I know.

- From law enforcement?

Everyone I know is from different areas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aeroflot, Interpol - all to whom I could throw this information.

- Where do you get such a circle of friends from?

I have worked in various positions in my life, I have lived abroad, I know many people. Participated in large state projects - on information technologies, engineering technologies. He worked in the field of finance, a little bit in banking. In general, a wide range.

- Did the connections help in any way?

I received information that Varya was given a foreign passport at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and she flew to Istanbul. I learned this from our security services three days later. Then he began to spread information through social networks.

- Missing Daughter Announcement ( now deleted - approx. "Jellyfish") got some gigantic number of reposts.

20 thousand, I think, in the first two days. The resonance was very wide. On the first day I received 15 calls, and on the third day it was over two hundred. The phone did not stop - SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook, email. They wrote from Spain, Portugal, England, France, Scandinavia, the CIS. They advised, helped, said that now there is actually a wide recruitment in Syria, the countries of Central Asia, all this happens through Turkey. On the second day, the press became more active.

- That is, to make noise - it was a conscious step?

Yes. To collect information and, based on it, try to build the logic of further actions.

- What happened on the third day of the search?

By that time I had already collected a lot of information. Through the headquarters in Lyon, it was possible to open a case with Interpol. They told me: “You will not achieve anything until you are in place. No one will worry about your daughter, urgently fly to Turkey.” The FSB, of course, dissuaded me from the trip. Then I asked: “Are you going to fly yourself? Are you going to do something?" Well, the answer suggested itself, and then I said that I would save my daughter myself. I took a ticket for June 2; I remember that in the afternoon I gave an interview to NTV, and I received confirmation for the flight. They ask: “Maybe we will fly too?” Me: "Yes, please."

- Did you often watch TV then?

To be honest, I am very far from TV, I have a bad idea of ​​what Channel One or NTV is. Only recently I began to understand that there is some difference.

- Did you fly to Istanbul that evening?

Yes, if I remember correctly. At the same time, FSB officers warned that it was life-threatening. Naturally, I didn't care at all. I am not saying this to score points, and therefore people should still learn lessons from the history of our family. I still get calls, people ask what to do.

- What to do if a child is recruited?

If a daughter, for example, started to dress up [in Muslim clothes], stopped eating, and so on… If you think that there are only a few of these cases, no, there are thousands of them.

- Cases of recruitment of young girls?

Yes. Recruitment through love, affection, as in some destructive sect. This is happening both in the southern republics of Russia and in Moscow. The special services do not deny this - about 2800 people were recruited in 2016 ( in the "List of terrorists and extremists (acting)" of Rosfinmonitoring as of December 29, 2016It was6899 people - 2.5 thousand more than a year earlier - approx. "Jellyfish"). These are the ones they have information about.

- How did you look for Varvara in Turkey?

The first thing I tried at the airport was to find out if Varya had gone through passport control. It was difficult without the Turkish language. Google translator helped a little, but not much. And in English they knew two or three words. I had with me papers in Turkish with a description of my history, special signs of Varya - thanks to the staff of the Turkish embassy in Moscow, they helped to compile. Some fuss continued all night, but as a result, I did not receive help at the airport. On the morning of June 3, I arrived at the Palace of Justice in Istanbul - they have security forces concentrated there. I managed miraculously to get to the supreme prosecutor of the country and address him as a father.

- Directly in person?

Yes, in person, in his office.

- So easily went to him?

Naturally, there are cordons on the way to it. But people, oddly enough, got into my position, and they understood English. In general, I managed to get in. The prosecutor listened, supported me and initiated an investigation. Later, I received a video recording of Varya's arrival from the operatives. They have a very developed video surveillance network and it was possible to track the passage of passport control, the exit from the airport, the car in which she left. But, unfortunately, the cars changed, and we lost it.

Then he turned to the Russian consulate in Istanbul. The consul was sympathetic, immediately accepted, gave recommendations on how to continue the search, but gently hinted that professionals were already working on the case. Like, I won’t help with something specific, but if anything, call, here is my personal phone number. It's actually a lot, I'm really grateful for that.

In Turkey, a lot of people came out to me, journalists immediately began to persecute me. I was not opposed: on the same day, some kind of program was broadcast on television, there was a resonance. People literally on the street approached, cheered. Called, offered the services of an interpreter. The opinion of the public was absolutely unambiguous: the girl needs help, and these, as they are called, “shaitans”, should be punished. My acquaintances and friends told me in which areas you can look for Varya. I began to travel around these places, trying to talk with the mullahs, with representatives of the communities, just with people.

- Just approached with a photo of Vari?

Yes. I had these printouts with information, showed them, said what a disaster, who I am. The attitude was mostly positive with a couple of exceptions.

- How many places did you visit?

Pretty much everything I planned; the distances are large - the city is gigantic, and the districts were on the outskirts. Trips are six at least three hours. For three days, from morning to evening, I was busy only with this. Unfortunately, all these efforts did not end with direct success.

- After these three days, despair did not appear?

It is clear that there were sensations along the sinusoid. Then you are encouraged, a wave appears, and then it is replaced by disappointment, because you come to the next district, and your hopes are not justified. But there was no despair, no desire to give up everything. I knew that I would go home only with Varya.

- How did you manage to find it?

The consul called me and said that in one of the detained girls in the suburbs of Kilis ( city ​​on the border with Syria - approx. "Jellyfish") Varvara Karaulova was identified by the Turkish migration service. I almost lost consciousness at that moment. It was a profound experience, but so positive that I even wanted to eat. She was transferred to the city of Batman, to the camp of the migration service, which is 300 kilometers from Kilis. The next day I flew there. On June 8 in Batman, through acquaintances, I got to the local head of the migration service. He allowed to meet with Varya.

What did she look like when you saw her?

She was wearing a long, light brown overall and a black scarf - very unexpected for me, but I thought - this is probably how everyone walks around here. We hugged there, so we stood for five minutes. It was impossible to talk - tears choked. The only thing I heard: "Dad, I was wrong." And she also asked to buy fruits and toys for children - there were women who were detained with small children.

- How did you leave Turkey?

Varya lost her passport. She gave it to the guide of a group of girls [who were supposed to cross the Turkish-Syrian border], and at the moment of detention by the migration service, he ran away with all the documents. One of my acquaintances gave me the phone number of [Russian Ambassador to Turkey] Andrey Karlov ( killed in Ankara on December 19, 2016 - approx. "Jellyfish"). A kind, sensitive person who helped us a lot. Thanks to him, we flew to Istanbul.

In Istanbul, we were met by consular officials and a swarm of journalists. It was hard for Varya, she was exhausted, she could hardly move, she was in a terrible depression. She said that she was afraid to go to Russia - those with whom she was in the migration camp said that she was facing a deadline. And I answered: “You see, the FSB officers write that no criminal cases have been opened, fly in.” In Turkey, I was constantly in correspondence with them, informing them what we were doing, what flights we were flying, because I believed that these people supported us and provided assistance.

Yes, a toned minibus without license plates was brought to the gangway, there were eight people there. About 300 journalists were already waiting for us, we left through another gate, but still we were followed by an escort of several cars. You can't refuse the professionalism of the FSB drivers - after an hour and a half we broke away from the media.

- Did Varya tell you anything?

In Turkey, it took two days to complete all the documents, we did not see each other. And on the plane ... Varya was in such a state that she could hardly communicate, she cried and slept all the time. I didn't feel the need to ask her. Later, employees of the Moscow Research Institute of Psychiatry explained that depression is a disease, it must be treated, including medication.

In Russia, we moved in with friends - at the request of the FSB. For the first few days, employees talked with Varya for four or five hours ( The prosecution denied at trial that the FSB worked with Karaulova after she returned - Meduza's note). I now understand that this was my deepest mistake.

- Why did you even let the secret services communicate with your daughter in a state of clinical depression?

It was a mistake. There was a gigantic desire to punish this "shaitan" [with whom Varya corresponded]. Because it is impossible, it is wrong to do this with people, especially with a girl who knows nothing about this life. I trusted too much, I thought that the best professionals in Russia are working with us - they don’t want evil.

- How did Barbara react to this work?

She went forward, spoke even more than she was asked.

- So she told you why she decided to go to ISIS?

Painful love played a key role. It all started when she was 15 years old, in 2010. Varya was interested in football, supported CSKA - went to matches, adored [CSKA goalkeeper Igor] Akinfeev, she even hung a huge portrait of him. Then she began to communicate on the Internet with a certain Vlad. At first, they spoke on general topics, and then the topics of culture, justice, and the correct state system gradually began to arise. Against the background of a variable lack of communication, friendship appeared, then - falling in love, the need for physical intimacy. It came to direct declarations of love, to the desire to get married.

And in parallel, Vlad discussed Islam with her, the Muslim world full of wonderful opportunities, where women are bowed down, and the negative aspects that exist in Russia have already been overcome. And there was skillful manipulation, a swing - either “I love it, I can’t,” or “I hate it.”

Vlad abruptly disappeared - and he disappeared deliberately. You communicate, communicate, for you it becomes a need, and then - bang, and everything ends.

- Haven't you noticed how Barbara's mood changes dramatically?

There were moments when she walked depressed, sad, but said that she was just very tired - study, session, term paper. It seemed impolite to dig deeper. Although now I understand that it was not necessary to be shy; you need to talk to your children, ask questions, don't procrastinate - it might just be too late.

- But in the end, your daughter did not go to Vlad, but to another person?

Yes, when Vlad once again disappeared, she, at the instigation of women from the group "Muslim" ( public "VKontakte" devoted to the issues of Islam - approx. "Jellyfish") in defiance of her lover, she married another man via Skype - by the way, not related to ISIS. This is how this Abdul Hakim arose, and money came from him for a ticket to Istanbul.

Varya leaves everything, decides - to spite her mother, I will get frostbite of her ears - and flies away. Only in Istanbul does she begin to realize that there is no smell of golden mansions there. And in court, she also said that when she found herself in an Istanbul apartment, in cramped conditions with several women, her eyes began to open, and even more so when she got to Kilis.

She didn't cross. They were detained near the border. There were no documents, and everyone was sent to a migration camp.

- She then went to Abdul Hakim?

She went to Vlad - he once again showed up when she was in Istanbul. He said that in fact he was not Vlad, but Airat Samatov, that he allegedly tested her like that, and now he was convinced that this was true love to the grave. We don't know anything about this Vlad-Ayrat. He was not summoned to court, no one made a request to the Syrian Ministry of Internal Affairs, we don’t even know if one person is hiding under this name.

- Why did the recruiters manage to get Varya to Turkey?

I think for two reasons. First, they are really skilled people. The second reason is that everything happened against the background of a special psychological state of the daughter. On the one hand, puberty, as they said at the Research Institute of Psychiatry, on the other hand, the almost complete absence of real communication with peers, including boys.

- Lawyer Sergei Badamshin insisted during the debate in court that your divorce also played a role.

Yes, of course, this is a common background. Varya's happiest years were in America, when we lived as a family. She probably tried to reproduce them. We broke up when she went to first grade.

- What was the communication between Vari and the FSB when you returned from Turkey?

Varya provided them with passwords, logins, told about the accounts with which she corresponded. They didn't know about anything. They knew that there was Varya Karaulova, and on her page this same Klaus Klaus ( the nickname under which VKontakte was active Vlad, aka Airat Samatov - approx. "Jellyfish"). She herself told them all the details. And then all this turned out to be in the accusation, just some kind of nonsense.

- How often did the FSB officers come? How did they communicate?

At first it was extremely tight. Operational work was reduced to a "radio game", as it used to be called ( radio game - the transmission of disinformation to the enemy through a double agent - approx. "Jellyfish"), Varya corresponded with Vlad-Ayrat. Employees took away all gadgets from Varya - a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet - and equipped them with the appropriate means. I picked them up myself the prosecution at the trial denied the facts about the radio game and the equipment of gadgets - ed. "Jellyfish").

By the way, you ask yourself a question - if you have such a wonderful technical base that you haven’t tapped the recruiter’s phone either? This is simply done. With the help of a virus program, you get access to the camera on the phone, you see what it is doing, what is around, using GPS you determine the coordinates.

- Did you ask the employees then?

No, I thought that super-professionals were working with me, but what am I? Amateur.

- Varya began to recover at that time?

No, we began to understand that the child does not come out of depression. He eats badly, sleeps little, cries. Alexander Poluektov said that he had connections in the Alekseev psychiatric clinic ( Poluektov - FSB officer; according to Karaulova's parents, it was he who carried out operational work with her after returning from Turkey; at the trial, he was interrogated behind closed doors; "Moscow's comsomolets"calledhis "employee who exposed Karaulova" - ed. "Jellyfish").

- Barbara didn't mind?

No, she saw that we [with her mother] also did not have fun around the clock, were in a rather unpleasant state. She agreed. We thought that now we will meet with professionals, they will look, the tests will pass, they will give us recommendations. As a result, while we were waiting in the corridor, Varya was almost forcibly hospitalized in another building ( at the trial, it turned out that Karaulova’s clinic was diagnosed with “schizopathic disorder”; later he was refuted by the doctors of the Serbsky Institute - ed. "Jellyfish"). On the same day we took her, and agreed with the Research Institute of Psychiatry. There she lay in the ward for two weeks.

Now I understand that this was extremely insufficient. But progress was evident, we considered it possible to pick it up. At least in terms of drug treatment, there were no interruptions. We just thought - why in the hospital? Summer is the same, you can go to the country, on bicycles somewhere.

- By the way, you wanted to go to Belarus to ride bicycles, but the FSB was against it.

Yes it is.

- You agreed with them.

Yes, every step At trial, the prosecution denied this - approx. "Jellyfish"). So she goes to the hospital, so we take her away: “What do you think? Are there any objections? Communication was fine! Just really there are freaks in any family. I don’t know how these stars will look on their shoulder straps.

- When did Varya change her name?

It was already at the end of August, we were discharged, Varya lived with her mother, in the apartment where she was registered. The hype in the media around her was extremely high. A man goes out in the morning to walk with a dog, and a camera comes out of the bushes. Her mother suggested taking the name of Varya's great-grandmother - Alexander Ivanov. To make it easier to work and to cool public opinion a little.

In August, the two of them went to the passport office. The fact that this has now become a point of indictment is an anecdote. Allegedly, Varya was preparing for a crime by changing her name! How could she prepare? She could not move around Russia, let alone go to Syria. I just do not understand how a judge of such a high level could not notice such simple things.

- Are the decisions of the Russian courts surprising to you?

In this case, yes. Although, in the same Lefortovo court, the hearings on the extension of Vare's arrest began only after the investigator entered the judge's room ... For the fifth or sixth time, I already understood what was happening. Although the lawyers immediately warned.

- And you didn't believe them?

In the States, I was constantly able to challenge traffic violation protocols if I had reasonable arguments. I didn't think it could be otherwise. Third power after all. I was sure that the judge of the Moscow District Military Court would not disregard the objective points. The ECHR will definitely not leave them, after all.

- We still need to reach the ECtHR.

In fact of the matter. I still hope for the Supreme Court.

- Varya asked at some point to stop the "radio game"?

Yes. She understands - well, a freak out! - and with attachment can do nothing. Typical stockholm syndrome. In mid-September, he says: “Mom, dad, I can’t take it anymore, now I’ll be dragged out again, but I want to study and work.” She had only a push-button phone left, no WhatsApp, no Internet, nothing. There has been no communication [with Vlad-Ayrat] since then.

- When did they come to detain her?

At six in the morning, it was October 27th. More than ten people. And the NTV group was still there. And we just started to get out - study began, finally the world shone with new colors, this freak left our lives. And this is where it happens. I thought it was a misunderstanding, to be honest. Maybe someone was wrong. At first, I didn’t think that this could be followed by an arrest. Because really nothing at all.

- When did you see your daughter next?

Only in the court of appeal in November, there was a video conference with the pre-trial detention center. The trial in Lefortovo [where the measure of restraint was chosen] took place without our participation. Appointed lawyer called an hour before the trial. Still, it’s impossible to get to Lefortovo in Moscow in an hour.

- Why didn't you immediately hire a lawyer by agreement?

Nothing was presented before the trial. It was not even clear what was at stake. Maybe she was included in the witness protection program, taken away somewhere and protected from someone. But the realization came quickly, the next day the trial was held, the accusation appeared.

You made such a fuss to get your daughter out of another country. Is it really impossible to connect your acquaintances here too?

There were some conversations, of course ... But they told me that she still did not behave very correctly, and some kind of prevention was needed. Including so that others can understand.

- And you could not imagine the scale of the problem then?

Just like when gadgets were taken away from us. "Take it or leave it for you?" - “We don’t know for sure, let’s see for a day, there’s nothing there anyway, then you’ll take it away.” Naively, I behaved too much, I guess.

Well, and later, in December, when lawyers were not allowed into the pre-trial detention center for a month, maybe you could still use your connections?

It has already become difficult.

- Complicated?

As I understand it, the decision was made at a fairly high level. I don't know why or why. Naturally, I tried to do something, but, as you can see, to no avail. Then it turned out that in the first month after the arrest, the most tragic thing happened.

- You mean when she confessed?

Yes. She is isolated, threatened - do you want to get 20 years? They say - I wish you well, we are here to punish bad people - so sign this paper. And soon your lawyer will arrive by appointment, he is also a great guy and wants the best for you. Many after this would not have signed? She wanted to make the investigator respect her. Such an excellent student syndrome. The information background then changed. The media was hooked on the words of the prosecutor about self-explosion - they shocked me ( prosecutor Mikhail Reznichenko insisted in court that after joining the IG, Karaulova could have committed a self-explosion in one of the countries of Europe or Russia - ed. "Jellyfish").

- Maybe you shouldn't have made such a fuss in May 2015? Perhaps the daughter would have remained free.

I have absolutely no regrets about what I did. Both I and Varya - we understand how close she was to hell when I pulled her out. The joyful thing is that she is alive, healthy, she no longer has a painful addiction. And she looks at the world with different eyes. If not for that noise in May, the consequences could have been more dramatic.

- What is she going to do now?

First of all, of course, keep fighting. Along with this, she continues to study, has recently mastered Yiddish, reads a Latin textbook, lectures on physics, fiction, tries to play sports, although her opportunities in the pre-trial detention center are extremely limited.

Today, by the way, I have a happy day: for the first time since the moment of detention, we were allowed to talk - five minutes on the phone. It was impossible to communicate in court. Varya sounds completely different. Of course, the recent events upset her terribly, there is also depression, but nevertheless, she is already much older and more serious.