1985: Severed genitals of relative of Hezbollah's head of security yields release of 3 kidnapped Russians in Beirut

1985: Severed genitals of relative of Hezbollah’s head of security yields
release of 3 kidnapped Russians in Beirut
Dr. Aaron Lerner 29 November 2023

On September 30th 1985 in Beirut, Lebanon four Russian diplomats, Valery
Myrikov, Oleg Spirin, Nikolai Svirsky and Arkady Katkov, were kidnapped from
outside of the Russian Embassy in an operation organized by Imad Mughniyah,
the head of security for Hezbollah (1962-2008).

On October 3rd 1985 Arkady Katkov’s body was found in a Beirut garbage dump.

The severed genitals of one of Mugniyeh’s relatives were then sent to the
Hezbollah’s Headquarters with a message that the genitals of others would be
following.

Two days later the remaining three Russian diplomats were released and that
was the last time that Russians were bothered in Beirut.

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