DISINFO: Ukrainian troops might want to attack Hasidim pilgrims in Ukraine
SUMMARY
Kyiv is ready for blackmail and armed provocations against Hasidic pilgrims in order to try to get air defence from Israel... It is obvious that a crowd of pilgrims celebrating the New Year cannot be the target of the Russian Air Force. However, Ukrainian nationalists could take advantage of this opportunity for a major international provocation with casualties for subsequent pressure on Israeli society to facilitate arms supplies.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in order to deflect Russian responsibility. This claim was made in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
This piece of Russian disinformation is built around the statement of the Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk. He said that Russia could use a provocation against Hasidic pilgrims who come to the Ukrainian town of Uman every autumn to celebrate the Jewish New Year. In Uman, there is a Jewish shrine, the grave of Rabbi Nachman. The ambassador emphasised that Ukraine does not have enough air defence systems to fully protect against Russian missile attacks and therefore foreign citizens in Uman could be in danger.
According to the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, more than 30,000 Israeli pilgrims intend to come to Uman on September 15-17. It is almost impossible to provide shelter from Russian missile attacks for such a number of pilgrims concentrated in a small area. In this regard, the Ukrainian authorities strongly discourage Hasidic pilgrims from traveling to Ukraine and remind them of the increased level of danger due to the Russian full-scale invasion and constant missile attacks by the Russian army on civilian infrastructure.
Russia constantly attacks not only civil infrastructure in Ukraine, but also religious institutions. As of July 20, 2023, UNESCO has verified and documented Russian damage to 270 cultural sites in Ukraine, including churches, mosques, synagogues, museums, libraries, historical buildings, monuments, libraries and archives. Read more in the case Russia does not attack temples and churches in Ukraine.