Michael Podoliak, the senior adviser to the President of Ukraine Zelensky, referred to the Hasidic visit to Uman, in the shadow of the fighting in Ukraine. Podoliak warned that Russia will attack Bauman during the visit of the Israelis on purpose.
“We have no doubt,” said the senior adviser in an interview with Network B, “that some followers will make efforts to reach Oman on foot. We understand that these people will not listen to our recommendations that there is a danger of firing missiles at Oman, but Russia can do this on purpose to create global shocks.”
“We warn – but people are the ones who take responsibility for their lives. As a free country, we cannot prevent people from reaching Uman. We will try to intervene actively to maintain elementary security. If there is a shooting, people can find shelter,” said the adviser to the President of Ukraine.
His words come after more than a thousand Breslav Hasidim have already arrived in Uman ahead of Rosh Hashanah, despite the Foreign Ministry’s travel warning. The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “Due to the war and the active battles between Russian forces and Ukrainian forces, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sharpens the existing travel warning to Ukraine and calls on Israeli citizens to comprehensively avoid reaching the territories of Ukraine, including the city of Oman and its surroundings.”
The authorities in Ukraine expect at least 10,000 people to arrive for Rosh Hashanah. In a press briefing, the head of the military administration in the Cherkas region said that there is no absolute opposition to their arrival, but at the same time it is definitely a danger.
“We understood that we needed to focus on avoiding the trip, but emphasize that we are not completely opposed,” he explained, adding that “the request to avoid traveling to Uman stems from the high probability of being hit by missiles.”
In terms of the conduct in Uman, the head of the military administration said that “there will be additional restrictions in terms of maintaining the curfew. Movement in the city will be prohibited and additional barriers will be placed on some of the streets. The gathering of people in one place will be prohibited.”
As mentioned, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns not to travel to the area because “missiles were fired into the area of the city of Oman which resulted in the death of one citizen, the injury of several citizens and caused a great deal of destruction. Israeli citizens who are in Ukraine are called upon to leave the country’s borders immediately. The explosive security situation includes the risk of aerial bombardment or rocket fire Also on civilian settlements and territories, including in the center and west of the country, they pose a real and immediate danger to life.”