Russian pilgrims increase by 400 percent, claims CG

Saudi Gazette report MAKKAH — The number of Russian pilgrims has increased by about 400 percent before the dismemberment of Soviet Union. Then the pilgrims used to be between 20 to 40 out of a population of 77 million Muslims, according to Russian Consul General in Jeddah. Bahauddin Olleaq told Makkah daily on Saturday that the number of Russian pilgrims has now reached about 16,000. "Saudi Arabia has contributed to the rise of the Russian pilgrims through the excellent arrangements and great facilities provided to the pilgrims to enable them perform their rites in ease, peace and comfort," he said. He said the Kingdom is witnessing huge leap in its basic infrastructure and in the services being offered to the guests of God during the Haj and Umrah seasons all the year around. Olleaq described the expansion of the the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah as "unprecedented" international accomplishment and said the expansions have been carried out for the benefits of the pilgrims from all over the world. The consul general applauded the development projects in Makkah and the Holy Sites and said the services being offered to the pilgrims are being upgraded year after year. Olleaq recalled that the Russians started to come to the Haj about more than 400 years ago but their number started going up only during the 1990s. He said during the time of the Soviet Union, pilgrims used to find great difficulties in coming to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage. Olleaq said because of the Syrian crisis, the Russian pilgrims were no longer traveling by land which was comparatively cheap. "They now depend on air transport for their journey to Makkah," he added.