Kolotnytska arrived in Kiev early on Sunday on a Ukrainian defense ministry aircraft that evacuated 185 people from the country, the Segodnya newspaper reported. Kolotnytska, 38, was described in US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in December as a “voluptuous blonde,” one of Qaddafi’s closest confidantes and possibly his lover.
“Libyan protocol staff emphasized to multiple Emboffs [embassy officials] that Qaddafi cannot travel without Kolotnytska, as she alone ‘knows his routine,’” read the 2009 cable from Gene Cretz, the US ambassador to Libya. He reported rumors that Qaddafi and Kolotnytska, one of four Ukrainian nurses who serve him, might be romantically involved. Cretz was pulled from the country after the document’s release.
Kolotnytska was calm before leaving Tripoli according to her daughter Tatyana, who told Segodnya: “She spoke in a calm voice, and asked that we don’t worry, that she would be home soon.” Segodnya released a photograph of the nurse, showing a smiling rosy-cheeked woman, her shoulder-length blonde hair held back by sunglasses.
The daughter said her mother had spent nine years in Libya as one of several Ukrainian nurses serving Qaddafi. “For some reason, he doesn’t trust Libyan women with that,” she said. The WikiLeaks cable provided further insight into Qaddafi’s eccentricities. In addition to revealing Kolotnytska’s existence, it discussed his fear of staying on upper floors, dislike of flying over water and love of flamenco.
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