An Israeli citizen, Roman Brodsky, has been killed as a convoy he was traveling in outside Kiev came under fire, reportedly by Ukrainian troops, who mistook him for a Chechen militant.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Brodsky was part of a convoy of vehicles traveling to the Moldovan border, from where he planned to fly to Israel.
The Foreign Ministry confirmed that Brodsky’s family, still in Ukraine, as well as his parents in Israel had been informed of his death.
Amid the ongoing Russian special operation to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine, many people have been making their way to the country’s borders, where Israeli embassy employees are engaged in an effort to help them board flights back to Israel.
Brodsky’s father told Kan broadcaster that his son was shot dead at a checkpoint.
“[The Ukrainian soldiers] thought he was Chechen or something and killed him,” he said.
He was also cited by Channel 12 news outlet that they want help in bringing his remains to Israel for burial, calling on Israeli authorities to do more to ensure that people are able to safely reach the Jewish state.
Brodsky had come to Israel at age 13 with his family and lived there for 27 years. He then returned to Ukraine, by then a father-of-two, to start a business in Kiev.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett sent condolences to the family of Roman Brodsky on Monday evening, saying:
“In the name of all Israeli citizens, I want to send my condolences to Roman’s wife, children and family in Israel and in Ukraine. We are doing everything to help Israelis return home.”
Moscow launched a "military operation" in Ukraine to demilitarize and denazify the country after the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics' authorities asked for assistance to defend themselves against persistent attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The Russian Defence Ministry has said that the operation is targeting the military infrastructure of Ukraine only and that the civilian population is not in danger, with Moscow having no plans of occupying its neighbouring state.
However, the US and its allies in Europe and Asia condemned the Russian operation as an unprovoked "invasion" and slapped Moscow with new sanctions.
On Friday, Moscow summoned Israeli ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben Zvi on Friday and asked him to clarify Tel Aviv's position on Russia's special operation in Ukraine, after Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid it as an "attack on Ukraine" and "a serious violation of the international order."
Lapid had added that Israel has "deep, long-lasting and good relations" with both Kiev and Moscow, and noted that Tel Aviv's top priority was the safety and security of the thousands of Israelis and hundreds of thousands of Jews living in both countries.