Israeli Embassy Starts Return to Kyiv

By Zalman Ahnsaf

YERUSHALAYIM – The Israeli embassy officially returned to Kyiv on Tuesday, after Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital forced diplomats from numerous countries to move their offices temporarily to safer locations.

The Israeli mission was first moved to the western city of Lviv, and then to a hotel in the Polish border city of Przemysl, where they provided assistance to Israeli citizens fleeing the war.

In a symbolic reopening on Tuesday morning, Israel’s ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky raised the country’s flag in front of the embassy in Kyiv. He and a small delegation started the process of the actual reopening, the date as yet undecided.

“We are looking to get back as soon as possible, but obviously it depends on developments on the ground,” Brodsky told The Times of Israel in a phone conversation Tuesday afternoon.

“It is a city with PTSD,” Brodsky said. “It’s a bit sad, it’s a bit down. Much fewer people, much fewer cars.”

The city is still under curfew after 11 pm.

The returning diplomats were awakened twice during the night by air raid sirens, and went down into their hotel’s shelter.

“Otherwise, it’s very moving to get back on the streets after three months,” Brodsky said.

Brodsky and his staff have been talking with Ukrainian officials about the role Israel can play in the rebuilding of the country, which has suffered widespread devastation from the Russian invasion.

“Israel wants to be part of these efforts,” Brodsky said. “We’ve identified main fields where we can contribute – health, homeland security, agriculture, water management, even infrastructure.”