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CNN Live Today

Russian Woman Hailed in Israel

Aired June 18, 2002 - 14:34   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: From the Middle East comes an incredible story of survival, now. Weeks ago, a woman driving in Russia saw a sign along the road that read, "Death to Jews." When she got out of her car and tried to remove the sign, it was booby trapped, and it exploded in her face. CNN's Matthew Chance picks the story up from Israel, where the woman is recovering.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She is Israel's new heroine: a Russian Christian who stood up against anti-Semitism in her own country and paid a heavy price. She now gets strangers visiting just to say thanks.

"It's extraordinary," this Israeli woman tells her. "I doubt many others would have acted like you. We are grateful."

But Tatiana Soponova, who almost lost her sight to that booby- trapped sign outside Moscow, told me she did the only thing a decent person could.

TATIANA SOPONOVA, BOMBING VICTIM: I am not a hero. I usually -- I am usual woman and I think many people in Russia did the same.

CHANCE: And even though she may be scarred for life, she says she has no regets.

(on camera): Why did you stop, though? When other people -- why did you feel it was your responsibility to stop?

SOPONOVA: Because it's my country, and I feel responsibility for my country, and I think you feel the same. You live in your country, and you like your country. Everybody want that your country real beautiful.

CHANCE (voice-over): A Jewish community group in Russia organized her treatment here, bringing her mother and 4-year-old daughter to Israel as well. Israeli medical staff say they've seen and treated wounds like Tatiana's all too often in the past.

DR. ARIE ORNSTEIN, TEL HASHOMER HOSPITAL: This is very common injury now in our neighborhood. All of the terrorist acts here bring us too many patients this situation. Much work on that. And we have to deal with this situations for years. It's nothing new for us. CHANCE: From her hospital bed, Tatiana says she's been overwhelmed by the attention the people of Israel have given her, receiving gifts and thanks and kindness from a country that feels it shares in her pain. Matthew Chance, CNN, Tel Aviv, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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