Israeli Envoy in Kyiv Summoned for Rebuke

Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine was summoned for a rebuke at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Thursday following contacts with Russia regarding contingency plans to evacuate Israelis in the event of war.

The meeting in Kyiv with Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky was about a conversation held by Foreign Ministry director-general Alon Ushpiz with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Bogdanov, Moscow’s envoy to the Middle East.

Brodsky confirmed that the Ushpiz-Bogdanov conversation, and explained that he was asking Russia to help Israel rescue them if war breaks out and they find themselves in danger. Ushpiz also urged de-escalation of the crisis.

Israel has been in talks with neighboring countries to allow a land evacuation of Jewish Ukrainians if necessary. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid thanked Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova for their willingness to open their borders should the need arise.

“Until at least the end of the month there will be a danger of one military action or another,” Brodsky told Ynet on Wednesday. “We’re hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. We have plans for every scenario… and we know what we’ll have to do at each stage.”

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry opened a consular office in the western Ukraine city of Lviv to assist Israelis seeking to leave the country.

Israeli citizens in Ukraine have been lukewarm to calls for them to return to Israel. Brodsky lamented the “complacency” of Israelis — only 3,100 have evacuated while some 10,000 remain.

According to the Israeli Embassy, 23 flights have left Ukraine for Israel this week, carrying 3,064 Israeli passengers.

There are no more flights scheduled this week on Israeli airlines. But another seven flights are scheduled the remainder of this week on Ukrainian carriers.