German Rozhkov Simionov, father of Lieutenant German Rozhkov who was killed in an encounter with Hezbollah operatives in 2002, arrived in Chișinău, Moldova after escaping his home in Kyiv and is expected to make his way to Israel in the near future.
"The worst is behind us," Simionov said. "From here everything will be okay. I have no words with which I can thank you, you're angels. I lost a son and now I've lost my home. Its very hard to keep it together."
At the border, Rozhkov Simionov met Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, who is helping him in the bureaucratic process of immigration.
Dagan had known his son German. "He was an Israeli hero," he said. "An officer in the Shavei Shomron post, where I live. We used to talk here and there, and one of his soldiers was my brother-in-law."
"You aren't alone, he told the bereaved father. "Israel owes you a debt that can't be repaid. Your son was a hero, fought for Israel, fought in the Shomron, you'll never be alone. We'll care for everything you'll need and help you come to Israel," he said.
The two men also spoke with Yaakov Hagoel- the acting executive chairman of the Jewish Agency.
"The Jewish Agency is leading one of the biggest Aliyah operations of the past years and is working to rescue the Jews from the warzone," Hagoel said. "Israel has a moral obligation towards those who died in battle. This obligation is a huge honor for us in the Jewish Agency to carry out".
Ludmilla, German's mother, requested that her son's sperm be extracted from his body in 2017 to enable the continuation of his line. 15 years after her son's death, her grandson was born into the world, and she now lives with him in Kiryat Shmona.
Simionov says he hopes finally to meet his grandson upon arrival in Israel.