Israel strongly condemns Russian strike that hit Babi Yar memorial complex in Ukraine

Russian forces on Wednesday have targeted the TV tower in Kyiv that is adjacent to the Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, site of massacres carried out by Nazi forces on 29–30 September 1941 during WWII. Israeli and Jewish officials derided Russia for bombing ravine on the outskirts of Kyiv. As many as 33,000 Jews were shot dead by Nazi-led squads in a campaign against the Soviet Union and the memorial is dedicated to holding the Jewish casualties in memory. The strike near Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial has angered Israelis, with some referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s claim made in the state TV speech that he launched military operation in Ukraine to “denazify” Ukrainian government and stop a “genocide.”  

“To the world: what is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar? At least 5 killed. History repeating …” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on his official Twitter handle. He then announced that over five people were killed in the strike, according to Ukrainian defense minsitry. 

The memorial center’s chairman, Natan Sharansky, issued a statement saying, “Putin seeks to distort and manipulate the Holocaust to justify an illegal invasion of a sovereign democratic country is utterly abhorrent.” He went on to add, “It is symbolic that he starts attacking Kyiv by bombing the site of the Babyn Yar, the biggest of Nazi massacre.” Ukraine's leader Zelenskyy, also Jewish, has lost some of his family members in the holocaust during the fight the WWII.

"Security and wellbeing of civilians must be universally and absolutely respected. We continue to follow with grave concern the outrageous acts of aggression being perpetrated against civilian targets in Ukraine," said memorial center’s chairman, Israel's Natan Sharansky. 

Israel condemns 'attack on the Jewish cemetery'

Israel's ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement to "condemn the attack on the Jewish cemetery near the memorial site commemorating the Holocaust of the Jews of Kyiv and the murder of the Jewish people in Babi Yar." It added, "We call for preserving and respecting the sanctity of the site." Israel's foreign ministry further informed that under the direction of Foreign Minister Lapid, the ambassador in Kyiv is in contact with the site's management and later, "when possible, we will assist in repairing the damage. We continue to monitor the events and express our regret for the damage to human life. "

Israel strongly reacted to the attack near its symbolic site. Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem condemned the Russian strike, and urged the international community “to safeguard civilian lives as well as these historical sites because of their irreplaceable value.” “We continue to follow with grave concern the outrageous acts of aggression being perpetrated against civilian targets in Ukraine,” it asserted. 

While Russia maintained that it hasn't killed civilians in the so-called ‘military operation’ against Ukraine, the human rights groups slammed Russia for its indiscriminate and deadly attacks on the civilian infrastructure. Moscow has argued that its armed forces are only bombing the military infrastructure on the Ukrainian side. In the footage aired by Republic Media Network from the ground, missiles and artillery shells were seen hitting the residential areas in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Ukraine. One Indian national was also killed in the Russian strike on urban settlements.