Russia fired missiles at a television tower near Kiev on Tuesday night. At the same time, the attack hit an area where more than 33,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis during World War II.
Two missiles fired at a TV tower near Kiev on Tuesday night in Russia caused a huge explosion. Five passers-by were killed in the attack.
The houses were damaged and TV broadcasts were interrupted. On Wednesday, traces of the attack have been cleaned up over a large area.
The attack hit the area of Babi Jar, where a memorial to the massacre of Jews during World War II is located.
In the fall of 1941, more than 33,000 Jews were murdered in the Babi Jari Gorge by the Nazis occupying Ukraine in just two days.
The massacre was one of the worst in World War II and became one of the symbols of the fate of the Jews of Eastern Europe.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi now accused Russia of desecrating its history.
“They know nothing about our capital, but they are ordered to erase our history,” Zelenskyi told Reuters.
Zelenskyi – who is a Jew himself – showed his appeal to the Jews of the world. According to him, it is important that these do not remain silent about what is happening in Ukraine.
The Israeli Holocaust Memorial in Yad Vashem condemned Russia’s attack on Babi Jari and called on the international community to protect human lives and historical sites.
Also the Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid resented the attack, but did not mention Russia.
Israel has previously been mentioned as a potential mediator in the crisis. According to the news agency Reuters, the Israeli government is working to maintain relations with both Kiev and Moscow.
President Vladimir Putin has declared a Russian operation against Ukraine’s alleged “Nazis.” A missile strike on an area of an important Jewish monument is ill-suited to this goal.
However, the ever-tightening censorship of present-day Russia is likely to prevent the Russians from reaching the territory of Babi Jari.