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Israeli arms shipments to Ukraine will ‘destroy’ ties with Russia, warns former Russian president

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warns Jerusalem against selling arms to Ukraine, comparing such a step to supporting Nazi collaborators.

By World Israel News Staff

A former Russian president and Putin ally warned Israel Monday not to sell or transfer weapons to Ukraine, comparing such a move to support for World War II-era Nazi collaborators.

Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president of Russia from 2008 to 2012, and Prime Minister from 2012 to 2020, took to Telegram a day after Israeli Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai called for military aid to Kyiv.

“This morning it was reported that Iran is transferring ballistic missiles to Russia,” Shai tweeted Sunday. “There is no longer any doubt where Israel should stand in this bloody conflict. The time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid as well, just as the USA and NATO countries provide.”

A day later, Medvedev wrote on Telegram to warn against any Israeli weapon sales to Ukraine, saying any transfer of military equipment would “destroy” relations between Jerusalem and Moscow.

“It looks like Israel is going to provide arms to the regime in Kyiv. A very reckless move. It will destroy diplomatic relations between our countries.”

Medvedev then went on to compare weapons sales to Ukraine with support for World War II-era Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with the Nazis.

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“I’m not even talking about the fact that Bandera’s supporters were Nazis and remained so. Just look at the symbolism of their modern henchmen. If they are supplied with weapons, then it is time for Israel to declare Bandera and Shukhevych as their heroes.”

Stepan Bandera, a hard-line Ukrainian nationalist, led the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which carried out mass killings of Jews and Poles during World War II.

Bandera’s officer, Roman-Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych, carried out some of the massacres and expulsions of Poles during the war.