According to a new revelation by the Israeli ambassador to Serbia, Yahel Vilan, drones made by Israel and transferred to Azerbaijan have been used to target Russia in its war with Ukraine.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war back in February 2022, Israeli officials have been constantly denying any role in helping either side of the battle. In other words, Israel has only admitted to having sent medical and food supplies to the Ukrainians, and it has categorically dismissed any sort of military assistance to the parties involved in the war.
However, a newly released report by the Gazeta Metro news website revealed that the Israeli ambassador to Serbia, Yahel Vilan, has admitted military aid to Ukraine against Russia.
According to the report, Vilan has said that the Israeli drones based in Azerbaijan were involved in the attack of the Ukrainian army on the Kremlin Palace. “Russia’s defeat in this war is certain and Israel participates in the celebration of Ukraine’s victory and Moscow’s great defeat,” the report said, quoting Vilan.
Israel’s ambassador to Serbia also stated in the published report that the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to limit the activities of the Jewish community in Russia was a clear message of war against Israel and Israel’s help to Ukraine was a result of Russia’s anti-Israeli moves.
It was back in July last year that Russia’s Justice Ministry appealed to a Moscow court to shut down a Jewish Agency, which has been operating in the country for 30 years as an independent Russian organization to facilitate the travel of Jews from Russia to Israel.
Vilan also referred to the popularity of victory for Ukraine among the Israeli population and noted that “more than 80% of Israelis support Ukraine and less than 10% support Russia to come out as the final winner of the battle”.
Israel lied about arming Ukraine from day one, the report revealed
But the drones were only the tip of the iceberg, and Vilan also revealed that Israel did arm Ukraine with Israel’s defense systems under the title of European countries, adding also that so far, most Iranian drones that Russia has used against Ukraine have all been destroyed by such Israeli defense systems.
Giving Ukraine Israeli defense systems was also one of the things that officials in Israel have always categorically denied.
In October last year, for example, Israel Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Israel has offered to assist Ukraine in developing a missile warning system, but will never provide weapons directly. “We have sent a request to the Ukrainians to share information about their needs to develop air defense alerts, but we won’t directly provide such systems to Ukraine,” Gantz said in a briefing to European Union ambassadors, adding that Israel is only committed to delivering “medical and shelter equipment” to Ukraine.
Vilan, however, admitted the transfer of defense systems from Israel to Ukraine and noted that Russia’s demand for help from Israel’s arch-enemy, Iran, was another reason that made Israeli officials carry out the transfer. “Putin made a strategic mistake by cooperating with Iran in the Ukraine war, this cooperation made Russia stand on the side of Israel’s enemies. Today, Ukraine has anti-tank missiles, highly capable drones, and cyber weapons for electronic warfare to defend itself against Russian attacks,” Vilan noted.
The war in Ukraine changed global equations and had a direct impact on Israel’s foreign policy and national security. At the beginning of the war, Tel Aviv tried to adopt a multi-dimensional policy and tried to remain neutral. But as the war escalated, and Western countries pressured Israel to clear its position and support Ukraine, officials in Tel Aviv lost track of their strategies and got involved in the war, which has so far cost Israel turning Russia from a potential ally to a sworn enemy.
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