Omnibus Russia Ukraine crisis
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
Right now Russia is phucked, because they are restricted to use active military personal due to the "special operations" aspect to their conflict. Meaning they cannot add newly trained military personal to the front unless they openly declare war and if they do so Ukraine can move away from defensive positioning and would be able to acquire long range offensive weapons to openly strike into Russia.
Did your guy on the internet tell you that?
Did your guy on the internet tell you that?
You do know that they're looking to bringing in non-state actors - mercs - to fill out for the blank spots, right? They don't need the new trained people when they have hired/'volunteers' willing to step in.
But your comment makes it out like you think he's on Russia's side or something?
They've been trying to hire contractors, but they haven't been overly successful, maybe 20k tops
WARMINGTON: Dogs of war need to be rescued as conflict rages in Ukraine
Author of the article:Joe Warmington
Publishing date:May 01, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 20 Comments
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption PHOTO BY SUPPLIED PHOTO /Toronto Sun
Article content
These prisoners of war in Ukraine have four legs, no food and little hope for survival.
“There are hundreds of dogs that have already died and there are many more in need of rescue,” said GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford, who recently returned from Poland and Ukraine where he fed and treated animals in need.
The world is responding to the humanitarian crisis as refugees flee to neighbouring countries, but “there also is an ‘animalitarian’ crisis,” said Redford.
Calling it an urgent situation, Redford said immediate intervention is needed.
The Markham veterinarian, of the Wellington Veterinarian Hospital, is trying to muster all hands on deck to try to save as many animals as he can by bringing them to Canada for adoption.
“We desperately need to get Air Canada, or any other carrier, to fly us to Poland ASAP,” said Redford, adding to cover the costs “we have raised some money, and we can raise some more.”
But something needs to be done now.
“There is a shelter in Kiev that lost 200-plus dogs a few weeks ago due to starvation.”
These are dogs and cats that have been left behind by families who fled Ukrainian cities, towns and villages as Russian troops invaded their country.
Redford and his daughter, Emily, got a first-hand look at what was happening during their recent mission to Ukraine and Poland.
“The trip was very rewarding and will have a lifelong and profound effect on me,” said Redford. “But it was also very heartbreaking.”
The pictures from the war zone of dogs in the rubble of shelled buildings is difficult to look at.
As this war continues, food is in short supply and diseases are ravaging the animal population. The fighting is also having a psychological and emotional impact on them.
“Many dogs are suffering from PTSD,” he said. “Some were very close to a missile strike that hit the oil storage facility near Lviv. We could smell the smoke in the air.”
It’s brutal!
The goal is to get these suffering animals to safety.
Redford is hoping for a rescue flight that could take at least 150 dogs and cats out of harm’s way for adoption in Canada.
“We cared for Ukrainian dogs and cats, helped get them vaccinated, but then Poland stopped allowing animals in from Ukraine due to a rabies fear which is a legitimate concern as rabies has been recently detected,” he said, adding the result was “countless street animals, or those displaced by the war, those injured and unable to travel with the owners were dropped off at shelters.”
They brought in food and medicine and lots of love. But it was not enough.
“The vets in Ukraine receive most of their drugs from Russia, so obviously now they are in dire need,” said Redford.
As of Sunday night, a GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $72,000 for their cause.
“The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association is reaching out to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to request assistance with the paperwork needed to safely and properly transfer the animals to Canada,” he said. “They all have been vaccinated against rabies, quarantined for three weeks and all have been micro-chipped.”
This is a very big rescue operation, but the lives of helpless animals are dependent upon it.
Abandoned dogs and cats are the collateral damage in a horrible war.
While the dogs and cats may not be able to talk, one look into their eyes says plenty. Redford said what they are saying is “without a place to go, they will surely die.”
Many already have.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Joe Warmington
Publishing date:May 01, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 20 Comments
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption PHOTO BY SUPPLIED PHOTO /Toronto Sun
Article content
These prisoners of war in Ukraine have four legs, no food and little hope for survival.
“There are hundreds of dogs that have already died and there are many more in need of rescue,” said GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford, who recently returned from Poland and Ukraine where he fed and treated animals in need.
The world is responding to the humanitarian crisis as refugees flee to neighbouring countries, but “there also is an ‘animalitarian’ crisis,” said Redford.
Calling it an urgent situation, Redford said immediate intervention is needed.
The Markham veterinarian, of the Wellington Veterinarian Hospital, is trying to muster all hands on deck to try to save as many animals as he can by bringing them to Canada for adoption.
“We desperately need to get Air Canada, or any other carrier, to fly us to Poland ASAP,” said Redford, adding to cover the costs “we have raised some money, and we can raise some more.”
But something needs to be done now.
“There is a shelter in Kiev that lost 200-plus dogs a few weeks ago due to starvation.”
These are dogs and cats that have been left behind by families who fled Ukrainian cities, towns and villages as Russian troops invaded their country.
Redford and his daughter, Emily, got a first-hand look at what was happening during their recent mission to Ukraine and Poland.
“The trip was very rewarding and will have a lifelong and profound effect on me,” said Redford. “But it was also very heartbreaking.”
The pictures from the war zone of dogs in the rubble of shelled buildings is difficult to look at.
As this war continues, food is in short supply and diseases are ravaging the animal population. The fighting is also having a psychological and emotional impact on them.
“Many dogs are suffering from PTSD,” he said. “Some were very close to a missile strike that hit the oil storage facility near Lviv. We could smell the smoke in the air.”
It’s brutal!
The goal is to get these suffering animals to safety.
Redford is hoping for a rescue flight that could take at least 150 dogs and cats out of harm’s way for adoption in Canada.
“We cared for Ukrainian dogs and cats, helped get them vaccinated, but then Poland stopped allowing animals in from Ukraine due to a rabies fear which is a legitimate concern as rabies has been recently detected,” he said, adding the result was “countless street animals, or those displaced by the war, those injured and unable to travel with the owners were dropped off at shelters.”
They brought in food and medicine and lots of love. But it was not enough.
“The vets in Ukraine receive most of their drugs from Russia, so obviously now they are in dire need,” said Redford.
As of Sunday night, a GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $72,000 for their cause.
“The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association is reaching out to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to request assistance with the paperwork needed to safely and properly transfer the animals to Canada,” he said. “They all have been vaccinated against rabies, quarantined for three weeks and all have been micro-chipped.”
This is a very big rescue operation, but the lives of helpless animals are dependent upon it.
Abandoned dogs and cats are the collateral damage in a horrible war.
While the dogs and cats may not be able to talk, one look into their eyes says plenty. Redford said what they are saying is “without a place to go, they will surely die.”
Many already have.
Dr Cliff Worldwide Vet, organized by Cliff Redford
Hi everyone. Dr. Cliff here. Over the past 5 years, I have spent much of my time volunteering… Cliff Redford needs your support for Dr Cliff Worldwide Vet
gofundme.com
WARMINGTON: Dogs of war need to be rescued as conflict rages in Ukraine
These prisoners of war in Ukraine have four legs, no food and little hope for survival.
sadly, only the white dogs are being rescued.WARMINGTON: Dogs of war need to be rescued as conflict rages in Ukraine
Author of the article:Joe Warmington
Publishing date:May 01, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 20 Comments
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption
GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford is on a mission to bring abandoned dogs and cats in Ukraine to Canada for adoption PHOTO BY SUPPLIED PHOTO /Toronto Sun
Article content
These prisoners of war in Ukraine have four legs, no food and little hope for survival.
“There are hundreds of dogs that have already died and there are many more in need of rescue,” said GTA veterinarian Cliff Redford, who recently returned from Poland and Ukraine where he fed and treated animals in need.
The world is responding to the humanitarian crisis as refugees flee to neighbouring countries, but “there also is an ‘animalitarian’ crisis,” said Redford.
Calling it an urgent situation, Redford said immediate intervention is needed.
The Markham veterinarian, of the Wellington Veterinarian Hospital, is trying to muster all hands on deck to try to save as many animals as he can by bringing them to Canada for adoption.
“We desperately need to get Air Canada, or any other carrier, to fly us to Poland ASAP,” said Redford, adding to cover the costs “we have raised some money, and we can raise some more.”
But something needs to be done now.
“There is a shelter in Kiev that lost 200-plus dogs a few weeks ago due to starvation.”
These are dogs and cats that have been left behind by families who fled Ukrainian cities, towns and villages as Russian troops invaded their country.
Redford and his daughter, Emily, got a first-hand look at what was happening during their recent mission to Ukraine and Poland.
“The trip was very rewarding and will have a lifelong and profound effect on me,” said Redford. “But it was also very heartbreaking.”
The pictures from the war zone of dogs in the rubble of shelled buildings is difficult to look at.
As this war continues, food is in short supply and diseases are ravaging the animal population. The fighting is also having a psychological and emotional impact on them.
“Many dogs are suffering from PTSD,” he said. “Some were very close to a missile strike that hit the oil storage facility near Lviv. We could smell the smoke in the air.”
It’s brutal!
The goal is to get these suffering animals to safety.
Redford is hoping for a rescue flight that could take at least 150 dogs and cats out of harm’s way for adoption in Canada.
“We cared for Ukrainian dogs and cats, helped get them vaccinated, but then Poland stopped allowing animals in from Ukraine due to a rabies fear which is a legitimate concern as rabies has been recently detected,” he said, adding the result was “countless street animals, or those displaced by the war, those injured and unable to travel with the owners were dropped off at shelters.”
They brought in food and medicine and lots of love. But it was not enough.
“The vets in Ukraine receive most of their drugs from Russia, so obviously now they are in dire need,” said Redford.
As of Sunday night, a GoFundMe campaign had raised more than $72,000 for their cause.
“The Ontario Veterinary Medical Association is reaching out to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to request assistance with the paperwork needed to safely and properly transfer the animals to Canada,” he said. “They all have been vaccinated against rabies, quarantined for three weeks and all have been micro-chipped.”
This is a very big rescue operation, but the lives of helpless animals are dependent upon it.
Abandoned dogs and cats are the collateral damage in a horrible war.
While the dogs and cats may not be able to talk, one look into their eyes says plenty. Redford said what they are saying is “without a place to go, they will surely die.”
Many already have.
View attachment 13565
Dr Cliff Worldwide Vet, organized by Cliff Redford
Hi everyone. Dr. Cliff here. Over the past 5 years, I have spent much of my time volunteering… Cliff Redford needs your support for Dr Cliff Worldwide Vetgofundme.comWARMINGTON: Dogs of war need to be rescued as conflict rages in Ukraine
These prisoners of war in Ukraine have four legs, no food and little hope for survival.
Hard to rewrite history when the books don't get delivered
Punish Russia for sex crimes against women, children: Ukraine ambassador
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Marie Woolf
Publishing date:May 02, 2022 • 17 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
OTTAWA — Ukraine’s ambassador-designate to Canada says Russia must be held accountable for its troops committing sex crimes, including against children.
Yulia Kovaliv told MPs at a House of Commons committee that Russia is using sexual violence as a weapon of war and said rape and sexual assault must be investigated as war crimes.
She said Ukraine was compiling “horrific documented evidence” of war crimes including sexual crimes by Russian soldiers.
“The horror is that children are victims of these sexual crimes which are done (before) the eyes of their parents,” she said. “Sexual crimes is part of the Russian weapon (against) Ukraine.”
She said Russia has also kidnapped Ukrainian children and taken them to Russian-occupied territories and now Russia itself. But Ukraine is working with partners to find the children and bring them back.
“Russians, a few days ago, killed a young mother and taped her living child to her body and attached a mine between them,” the ambassador said, choking back emotion. She said the mine detonated.
Robert Oliphant, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, said Canada was “very concerned” about “horrendous activities” by Russia towards women and children, including rape.
The Ukrainian diplomat said all of Russian society, and not just President Vladimir Putin “and his proxies,” should bear responsibility for the war on Ukraine as more than 70 per cent of Russians support the invasion.
Speaking to the Commons foreign affairs committee, Kovaliv expressed Ukraine’s “heartfelt thanks” to Canada for its continuing support, including with heavy weapons, vehicles, financial aid and sanctions against Russia.
But she said the coming weeks are crucial to Ukraine’s defence and more military and financial help are needed, including the dropping of trade tariffs.
To help rebuild Ukraine, it would need a recovery strategy similar to the Marshall Plan, a U.S. program to rebuild Europe’s economies following the Second World War, using Russian frozen assets.
Kovaliv paid tribute to the Canadian Parliament, where MPs voted symbolically to label Russian targeting of Ukrainian civilians a genocide. She invited the Commons foreign affairs committee to visit Ukraine.
“History books will commend Canada for its strong stance with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric war,” she said. “Ukrainians will never forget that Canada was shoulder to shoulder with us in these dramatic times of our modern history.”
Putin has tried to justify his invasion by claiming that his troops are liberating Ukrainians from a “Nazi” government, despite the fact that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and he signed a law combating antisemitism last year.
In apparent efforts by Russia to portray Ukraine as Nazi-led in spite of Zelenskyy’s heritage, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently claimed that Adolf Hitler was partly Jewish.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday those comments were “ridiculous and unacceptable.”
“The fact that Russia, as we’ve seen, has been peddling misinformation and disinformation has reached a point where it shouldn’t surprise us anymore,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Windsor, Ont.
“But what the Russian foreign minister just said is unbelievable. We need to stand condemning ever stronger the ridiculous and unacceptable positions of Russia, even as we stand with Ukraine.”
At the foreign affairs committee, Kovaliv said Ukraine’s goal was the liberation of all its sovereign territory, implying that it aimed to take back Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
In an update on the military situation in Ukraine, including in “temporarily occupied cities and towns,” she said a lot of missile attacks were coming from Belarus, a close Russian ally.
She said though a civilian evacuation of a steel mill in the besieged city of Mariupol had begun, Russia had fired on many humanitarian corridors.
Russia had repeatedly breached international law, abducting mayors, members of local parliaments and civil activists, with some tortured and murdered, she added.
An estimated half a million Ukrainians had been “forcibly deported to Russia,” she said.
Russian troops were “shameless looters,” the diplomat added, and were stealing Ukraine’s grain stores and attempting to ship them to Russian-held Crimea. This reminded Ukrainians of Josef Stalin’s practices in the 1930s, she said.
She said Ukraine is resisting the Russian onslaught, quoting Zelenskyy, who said: “Courage is our Ukrainian brand.”
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Marie Woolf
Publishing date:May 02, 2022 • 17 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
OTTAWA — Ukraine’s ambassador-designate to Canada says Russia must be held accountable for its troops committing sex crimes, including against children.
Yulia Kovaliv told MPs at a House of Commons committee that Russia is using sexual violence as a weapon of war and said rape and sexual assault must be investigated as war crimes.
She said Ukraine was compiling “horrific documented evidence” of war crimes including sexual crimes by Russian soldiers.
“The horror is that children are victims of these sexual crimes which are done (before) the eyes of their parents,” she said. “Sexual crimes is part of the Russian weapon (against) Ukraine.”
She said Russia has also kidnapped Ukrainian children and taken them to Russian-occupied territories and now Russia itself. But Ukraine is working with partners to find the children and bring them back.
“Russians, a few days ago, killed a young mother and taped her living child to her body and attached a mine between them,” the ambassador said, choking back emotion. She said the mine detonated.
Robert Oliphant, parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, said Canada was “very concerned” about “horrendous activities” by Russia towards women and children, including rape.
The Ukrainian diplomat said all of Russian society, and not just President Vladimir Putin “and his proxies,” should bear responsibility for the war on Ukraine as more than 70 per cent of Russians support the invasion.
Speaking to the Commons foreign affairs committee, Kovaliv expressed Ukraine’s “heartfelt thanks” to Canada for its continuing support, including with heavy weapons, vehicles, financial aid and sanctions against Russia.
But she said the coming weeks are crucial to Ukraine’s defence and more military and financial help are needed, including the dropping of trade tariffs.
To help rebuild Ukraine, it would need a recovery strategy similar to the Marshall Plan, a U.S. program to rebuild Europe’s economies following the Second World War, using Russian frozen assets.
Kovaliv paid tribute to the Canadian Parliament, where MPs voted symbolically to label Russian targeting of Ukrainian civilians a genocide. She invited the Commons foreign affairs committee to visit Ukraine.
“History books will commend Canada for its strong stance with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric war,” she said. “Ukrainians will never forget that Canada was shoulder to shoulder with us in these dramatic times of our modern history.”
Putin has tried to justify his invasion by claiming that his troops are liberating Ukrainians from a “Nazi” government, despite the fact that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and he signed a law combating antisemitism last year.
In apparent efforts by Russia to portray Ukraine as Nazi-led in spite of Zelenskyy’s heritage, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently claimed that Adolf Hitler was partly Jewish.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday those comments were “ridiculous and unacceptable.”
“The fact that Russia, as we’ve seen, has been peddling misinformation and disinformation has reached a point where it shouldn’t surprise us anymore,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Windsor, Ont.
“But what the Russian foreign minister just said is unbelievable. We need to stand condemning ever stronger the ridiculous and unacceptable positions of Russia, even as we stand with Ukraine.”
At the foreign affairs committee, Kovaliv said Ukraine’s goal was the liberation of all its sovereign territory, implying that it aimed to take back Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
In an update on the military situation in Ukraine, including in “temporarily occupied cities and towns,” she said a lot of missile attacks were coming from Belarus, a close Russian ally.
She said though a civilian evacuation of a steel mill in the besieged city of Mariupol had begun, Russia had fired on many humanitarian corridors.
Russia had repeatedly breached international law, abducting mayors, members of local parliaments and civil activists, with some tortured and murdered, she added.
An estimated half a million Ukrainians had been “forcibly deported to Russia,” she said.
Russian troops were “shameless looters,” the diplomat added, and were stealing Ukraine’s grain stores and attempting to ship them to Russian-held Crimea. This reminded Ukrainians of Josef Stalin’s practices in the 1930s, she said.
She said Ukraine is resisting the Russian onslaught, quoting Zelenskyy, who said: “Courage is our Ukrainian brand.”
Punish Russia for sex crimes against women, children: Ukraine ambassador
Ukraine's ambassador-designate to Canada says Russia must be held accountable for its troops committing sex crimes.
Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots
Israeli Foreign Ministry's Yair Lapid demanded an apology over Russian Foreign Minister's comments
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Crispian Balmer
Publishing date:May 02, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • 10 Comments
JERUSALEM — Israel lambasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for claiming that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, saying it was an “unforgivable” falsehood that debased the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.
Leaders from several Western nations denounced the foreign minister’s comments and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of having forgotten the lessons of the Second World War.
In a sign of sharply deteriorating relations with Moscow, the Israeli foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an apology.
“Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.
“The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately,” he added.
Lavrov made the assertion on Italian television on Sunday when he was asked why Russia said it needed to “denazify” Ukraine if the country’s own president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was himself Jewish.
“When they say ‘What sort of nazification is this if we are Jews’, well I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it means nothing,” Lavrov told Rete 4 channel, speaking through an Italian interpreter.
“For a long time now we’ve been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves,” he added.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly video message, noted that Moscow has been silent since Lavrov’s comments. “This means that the Russian leadership has forgotten all the lessons of World War Two,” he said. “Or perhaps they have never learned those lessons.”
The German government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, said Lavrov’s remarks mocked the victims of Nazism and “shamelessly confront not only Jews but the entire international public with open anti-Semitism.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called the top Russian diplomat’s comments obscene, while Canada’s Justin Trudeau expressed disbelief.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top elected Jewish official in the United States, accused Lavrov of falling back on anti-Semitism to defend his nation’s actions.
“As the highest ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., I take particular umbrage at what Mr. Lavrov said,” Schumer said in Washington.
Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, said the Russian minister’s remarks were “an insult and a severe blow to the victims of the real Nazism.”
Speaking on Kan radio, Dayan said Lavrov was spreading “an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.”
The identity of one of Hitler’s grandfathers is not known but there has been some speculation, never backed up by any evidence, that he might have been a Jew.
There was no immediate response to requests for comment from the Russian embassy to Israel or from Lavrov in Moscow.
STRAINED RELATIONS
Kyiv condemned Lavrov’s words, saying his “heinous remarks” were offensive to Zelenskyy, to Israel, Ukraine and Jews.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, said that accusing Jews of being anti-Semites was “the basest level of racism.” He also dismissed Lavrov’s assertion that pro-Nazi elements held sway over the Ukrainian government and military.
“The Ukrainians aren’t Nazis. Only the Nazis were Nazis and only they dealt with the systematic destruction of the Jewish people,” Lapid told the YNet news website.
Israel has expressed repeated support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February. But wary of straining relations with Russia, a powerbroker in neighboring Syria, it initially avoided direct criticism of Moscow and has not enforced formal sanctions on Russian oligarchs.
However, relations have grown more strained, with Lapid last month accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
However, the Ukrainian president has also run into flak in Israel by looking to draw analogies between the conflict in his country and the Second World War. In an address to the Israeli parliament in March, Zelenskyy compared the Russian offensive in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s plan to murder all Jews within its reach during the Second World War.
Yad Vashem called his comments “irresponsible,” saying they trivialized the historical facts of the Holocaust.
torontosun.com
Israeli Foreign Ministry's Yair Lapid demanded an apology over Russian Foreign Minister's comments
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Crispian Balmer
Publishing date:May 02, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • 10 Comments
JERUSALEM — Israel lambasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for claiming that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, saying it was an “unforgivable” falsehood that debased the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.
Leaders from several Western nations denounced the foreign minister’s comments and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of having forgotten the lessons of the Second World War.
In a sign of sharply deteriorating relations with Moscow, the Israeli foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an apology.
“Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.
“The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately,” he added.
Lavrov made the assertion on Italian television on Sunday when he was asked why Russia said it needed to “denazify” Ukraine if the country’s own president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was himself Jewish.
“When they say ‘What sort of nazification is this if we are Jews’, well I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it means nothing,” Lavrov told Rete 4 channel, speaking through an Italian interpreter.
“For a long time now we’ve been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves,” he added.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly video message, noted that Moscow has been silent since Lavrov’s comments. “This means that the Russian leadership has forgotten all the lessons of World War Two,” he said. “Or perhaps they have never learned those lessons.”
The German government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, said Lavrov’s remarks mocked the victims of Nazism and “shamelessly confront not only Jews but the entire international public with open anti-Semitism.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called the top Russian diplomat’s comments obscene, while Canada’s Justin Trudeau expressed disbelief.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top elected Jewish official in the United States, accused Lavrov of falling back on anti-Semitism to defend his nation’s actions.
“As the highest ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., I take particular umbrage at what Mr. Lavrov said,” Schumer said in Washington.
Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, said the Russian minister’s remarks were “an insult and a severe blow to the victims of the real Nazism.”
Speaking on Kan radio, Dayan said Lavrov was spreading “an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.”
The identity of one of Hitler’s grandfathers is not known but there has been some speculation, never backed up by any evidence, that he might have been a Jew.
There was no immediate response to requests for comment from the Russian embassy to Israel or from Lavrov in Moscow.
STRAINED RELATIONS
Kyiv condemned Lavrov’s words, saying his “heinous remarks” were offensive to Zelenskyy, to Israel, Ukraine and Jews.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, said that accusing Jews of being anti-Semites was “the basest level of racism.” He also dismissed Lavrov’s assertion that pro-Nazi elements held sway over the Ukrainian government and military.
“The Ukrainians aren’t Nazis. Only the Nazis were Nazis and only they dealt with the systematic destruction of the Jewish people,” Lapid told the YNet news website.
Israel has expressed repeated support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February. But wary of straining relations with Russia, a powerbroker in neighboring Syria, it initially avoided direct criticism of Moscow and has not enforced formal sanctions on Russian oligarchs.
However, relations have grown more strained, with Lapid last month accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
However, the Ukrainian president has also run into flak in Israel by looking to draw analogies between the conflict in his country and the Second World War. In an address to the Israeli parliament in March, Zelenskyy compared the Russian offensive in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s plan to murder all Jews within its reach during the Second World War.
Yad Vashem called his comments “irresponsible,” saying they trivialized the historical facts of the Holocaust.
Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots
Israel denounced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for suggesting that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins.
And now announcing sending military equipment to Ukraine, who coulda seen that coming?Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots
Israeli Foreign Ministry's Yair Lapid demanded an apology over Russian Foreign Minister's comments
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
Crispian Balmer
Publishing date:May 02, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • 10 Comments
JERUSALEM — Israel lambasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for claiming that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins, saying it was an “unforgivable” falsehood that debased the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust.
Leaders from several Western nations denounced the foreign minister’s comments and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of having forgotten the lessons of the Second World War.
In a sign of sharply deteriorating relations with Moscow, the Israeli foreign ministry summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an apology.
“Such lies are intended to accuse the Jews themselves of the most horrific crimes in history that were committed against them,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement.
“The use of the Holocaust of the Jewish people for political purposes must stop immediately,” he added.
Lavrov made the assertion on Italian television on Sunday when he was asked why Russia said it needed to “denazify” Ukraine if the country’s own president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was himself Jewish.
“When they say ‘What sort of nazification is this if we are Jews’, well I think that Hitler also had Jewish origins, so it means nothing,” Lavrov told Rete 4 channel, speaking through an Italian interpreter.
“For a long time now we’ve been hearing the wise Jewish people say that the biggest anti-Semites are the Jews themselves,” he added.
Zelenskyy, in his nightly video message, noted that Moscow has been silent since Lavrov’s comments. “This means that the Russian leadership has forgotten all the lessons of World War Two,” he said. “Or perhaps they have never learned those lessons.”
The German government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, said Lavrov’s remarks mocked the victims of Nazism and “shamelessly confront not only Jews but the entire international public with open anti-Semitism.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi called the top Russian diplomat’s comments obscene, while Canada’s Justin Trudeau expressed disbelief.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the top elected Jewish official in the United States, accused Lavrov of falling back on anti-Semitism to defend his nation’s actions.
“As the highest ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., I take particular umbrage at what Mr. Lavrov said,” Schumer said in Washington.
Dani Dayan, chairman of Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, said the Russian minister’s remarks were “an insult and a severe blow to the victims of the real Nazism.”
Speaking on Kan radio, Dayan said Lavrov was spreading “an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory with no basis in fact.”
The identity of one of Hitler’s grandfathers is not known but there has been some speculation, never backed up by any evidence, that he might have been a Jew.
There was no immediate response to requests for comment from the Russian embassy to Israel or from Lavrov in Moscow.
STRAINED RELATIONS
Kyiv condemned Lavrov’s words, saying his “heinous remarks” were offensive to Zelenskyy, to Israel, Ukraine and Jews.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Yair Lapid, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, said that accusing Jews of being anti-Semites was “the basest level of racism.” He also dismissed Lavrov’s assertion that pro-Nazi elements held sway over the Ukrainian government and military.
“The Ukrainians aren’t Nazis. Only the Nazis were Nazis and only they dealt with the systematic destruction of the Jewish people,” Lapid told the YNet news website.
Israel has expressed repeated support for Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February. But wary of straining relations with Russia, a powerbroker in neighboring Syria, it initially avoided direct criticism of Moscow and has not enforced formal sanctions on Russian oligarchs.
However, relations have grown more strained, with Lapid last month accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.
However, the Ukrainian president has also run into flak in Israel by looking to draw analogies between the conflict in his country and the Second World War. In an address to the Israeli parliament in March, Zelenskyy compared the Russian offensive in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s plan to murder all Jews within its reach during the Second World War.
Yad Vashem called his comments “irresponsible,” saying they trivialized the historical facts of the Holocaust.
Israel demands apology after Russia says Hitler had Jewish roots
Israel denounced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday for suggesting that Adolf Hitler had Jewish origins.
According to my wife, who comes from Germany, Hitler's grandfather was half Jewish. The story is that Hitler wanted his grandfather to finance his stay in arts school and the old man refused, causing young Adolph to have a hate for Jews.
