Report From Rabbi in Ukraine: Preparing for Imminent Attack in Zaporizhzhia

A Rabbi in Zaporizhzhia, South East Ukraine, has spoken of his fears that the city will be attacked by Russian troops in the next 24 hours.

Rabbi Nochum Ehrentreu, an Israeli who has lived in Zaporizhzhia with his wife and family for over 20 years, was speaking to a representative of Golders Green Synagogue (GGS) in NW London, with whom his community has been twinned for many years. In normal times, donations from GGS contribute to the communal sedarim and other Pesach expenses, and members have visited to see the work which the Ehrentreus have done for the local kehillah. Now, an emergency appeal raised money for basic supplies of food and water, which Rabbi Ehrentreu had the foresight to purchase a couple of weeks ago, in the expectation that there would be shortages.

In a video call on Monday morning, Rabbi Ehrentreu said that two of the nearby towns, Militupol and Breganz, where GGS have provided Pesach supplies in past years, were overrun by Russian troops, who looted stores, especially for food supplies.

As a precaution, he has called on the community to collect supplies (two weeks of essential food) and to store water before it is cut off. He has organized volunteers with cars to take food to those unable to collect from the shul or community center. Rabbi Ehrentreu and his team worked through Sunday night until 4 a.m. on Monday morning, organizing the distribution, determined that all stores are handed out to those in need, and nothing be left for looters.

He also distributed supplies to desperate non-Jewish mothers and babies, as he felt that he could not discriminate against people in need. Both community members and other people have taken shelter in the Jewish center, and Rabbi Ehrentreu reported that they were all appreciative of the support from overseas and specifically from the Jewish community.

The military news was grim – Rabbi Ehrentreu reported that there were 250 Russian tanks five kilometers from Zaporizhzhia faced by about 150 Ukrainian tanks, in contrast to Friday, when they were around 120 kilometers away.

He said the Zaporizhzhia civil authorities were not well organized, and in fact, to his surprise, the Regional Governor had been in regular contact with him to discuss the situation.

Rabbi Ehrentreu said the authorities had handed out a further 500 weapons to volunteers over 18 on Sunday as part of their defense program.

Russian special forces on Sunday tried but failed to take the local airport which delayed further troop deployment.

Rabbi Ehrentrau said he expected the city to be attacked in the next 24 hours. He thought it would be a bitter battle. Zaporizhzhia is on the route for Russia to attack the more important city of Dnipro and is also the site of a major hydroelectric power plant.