Old wounds have been brought back to the stage.

There are disputes that cannot be resolved by shouting.

Ukraine and Poland have once again found themselves near a dangerous line: historical memory, Volyn, UPA, mutual claims, painful symbols, and political statements begin to sound not like a conversation about the past, but as pressure on the present. And this is happening at a time when Ukraine is fighting against the Russian army, and all of Eastern Europe is essentially living in a mode of testing for resilience.

Journalist Vitaly Portnikov said on the air of ‘Espreso’ what many do not want to hear directly: if Ukrainians and Poles start a real quarrel, the consequences could be catastrophic for both countries.

Not just a deterioration of relations.

Not just diplomatic coldness.

But a loss of stability, which Moscow has always enjoyed.

Portnikov reminded: states must look to the future, even if there was much hardship between peoples in the past. Ukrainians and Poles indeed have a painful history. But if this history is turned into a political club, it will hit not only the neighbor — it will hit both.

Polish politics is entering pre-election mode.

The escalation did not arise out of nowhere. In the Polish political scene, preparations for the 2027 parliamentary campaign are already being felt, and some politicians are once again pulling ‘historical’ claims against Ukraine from the past.

It’s a convenient topic.

It’s emotional, loud, understandable to the voter. It can quickly gather attention, show ‘toughness,’ talk about national pride, and not explain complex economic or political decisions. This is how not only Polish politics works — this is how any politics works when it needs a simple enemy and a quick effect.

Particularly noticeable has been the line of Polish President Karol Nawrocki. He promotes a tough approach to historical disputes and essentially ties them to the level of future partnership between Warsaw and Kyiv.

The sharpest example is the reaction to Ukraine’s decision to name one of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ‘Heroes of UPA.’ For some Polish elites, this became a reason for a new attack on Kyiv. Even the idea of considering stripping Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — Poland’s highest state award, which the Ukrainian president received in 2023 — emerged in the public sphere.

The symbolism turned out to be heavy.

Ukraine is at war.

Poland is helping Ukraine.

And at the same time, within Polish politics, there is a signal: a historical dispute can become a condition for full partnership.

Portnikov warns: when Kyiv and Warsaw quarrel, Moscow wins.

Portnikov’s main thought is harsh but accurate: from the history of Ukraine and Poland, one can draw a common conclusion — when a big quarrel begins between Ukrainians and Poles, their states disappear from the political map or lose freedom.

He reminded of the sequence that cannot be attributed to chance.

First, the Russian Empire advanced on Ukrainian lands. Then Polish territories came under attack. Ukraine lost the chance for stable statehood after 1920. Poland was destroyed as an independent state in 1939. After 1945, Ukraine did not recover as a democratic sovereign country, and Poland found itself in the Soviet camp.

Then liberation also came almost synchronously.

The late 1980s.

The early 1990s.

Ukraine became independent, Poland — free.

This is not just a historical parallel. This is a map of regional security. The fates of Kyiv and Warsaw have moved too often side by side to pretend today that the weakening of Ukraine will not affect Poland.

If Ukraine is broken by Russian aggression, Poland will not become a calm island. It will become the next major line of pressure. Perhaps not immediately. Perhaps not with tanks the next day. But Moscow always returns where it sees weakness, fatigue, and division.

Why this dispute is seen in Israel.

For Israel, this is not a foreign European drama.

Israelis understand well that statehood is not a gift forever. It is protected by the army, alliances, memory, and the ability to distinguish a real enemy from a difficult neighbor in time.

Ukraine is currently defending itself against the Russian army. Israel is defending itself against the terrorist and Iranian axis. Poland, the Baltic countries, and other Eastern European states understand that the Russian threat does not end at the Ukrainian border.

All these are parts of one big picture.

When democratic countries start quarreling among themselves, authoritarian regimes gain space. When allies argue louder than they speak with the enemy, the enemy listens and smiles.

That is why NAnews —Israel News | Nikk.Agency looks at the Ukrainian-Polish escalation not as a local conflict of neighbors, but as an element of overall security. For the Israeli audience, the question here is not only about Volyn, UPA, or Polish domestic politics. The important question is: who wins if Kyiv and Warsaw stop trusting each other?

The answer is obvious.

Moscow.

History should remember, not blackmail.

Ukraine and Poland have already sought a formula for reconciliation. Back in the early 2000s, the presidents of the two countries signed joint statements related to the tragic events in Volyn. In 2023, Ukrainian and Polish church hierarchs signed a message and held a joint service in the spirit of the formula ‘we forgive and ask for forgiveness.’

This was not an attempt to erase the past.

On the contrary.

It was an attempt to keep the memory honest but not allow it to destroy the future. Because the memory of victims and political blackmail are different things. The first requires respect. The second destroys trust.

Today, part of Polish politics is effectively devaluing previous reconciliation work. If each new political escalation returns Kyiv and Warsaw to the point of mutual accusations, then a simple question arises: what declaration will be considered final at all? And will each subsequent campaign become a reason to demand new symbolic concessions from Ukraine again?

Ukraine’s European integration should not become a hostage to old grievances.

It is especially dangerous if historical claims begin to be tied to Ukraine’s European path.

Poland has the right to defend its interests in the EU. This is normal. Any country defends its economy, market, security, transport, agricultural sector, and political influence. But it’s one thing to talk about accession rules, standards, and reforms. Quite another to turn old historical disputes into a lever of pressure on a country that is now holding back the Russian army.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk states that Warsaw will not block the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. But at the same time, he makes it clear: there will be no easy path, and Poland will take into account its own benefit and security.

This can be understood.

But here the boundary is important. Modern EU, NATO, economic, and security issues should not be mixed with the emotional politics of the past. Otherwise, European integration turns not into a path to stability but into a field for mutual claims.

Kyiv chooses restraint — and this may be the right choice.

It is important for Ukraine not to break down now.

A loud response to every Polish statement will bring a quick emotional effect, but strategically it will play against Kyiv. This is exactly what those who want to turn Ukrainian-Polish relations into an open political fight are waiting for.

The best response is a cool head.

Cooperation in logistics.

Economy.

Defense.

Working directly with Polish society.

Joint memory projects without ultimatums.

And a firm understanding: real actions against Ukraine need to be answered, but it’s not worth rushing to every historical provocation.

Because Moscow works precisely with such cracks. Russian propaganda does not always create conflict from scratch. More often, it takes real pain, adds poison, amplifies extreme voices, and makes neighbors see each other not as allies but as threats.

Today, the Kremlin benefits from anything that distracts Europe from the main fact: Russia is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine. It destroys cities, kills civilians, threatens neighbors, and tries to return the region to the logic of imperial zones of influence.

If instead of a united position against the aggressor, Kyiv and Warsaw start measuring historical accounts, memory will not win.

Putin’s Russia will win.

The final conclusion here is simple and unpleasant. Ukraine and Poland can argue about the past, but they have no right to let this dispute destroy the future. Because history has already shown: when Ukrainians and Poles stop being allies, Moscow gets a chance to return.

And in 2026, such a chance is too expensive.

Haifa knows and honors a modest heroine — a native of Zolochiv (Lviv region, Ukraine). On February 12, 2025, she turned 90 years old.

In the Righteous Among the Nations Garden in Haifa, where 20 memorial stones bear the names of those who saved Jews and once lived in the city, Yaroslava Levytska remains the only one honored with a memorial plaque during her lifetime.

At the Latin Cemetery in Haifa, 11 Righteous Among the Nations are buried. In their honor, the Haifa municipality created a unique memorial garden in the Ramat Alon district.

On May 18, 2008, a solemn opening ceremony was held in Haifa’s Ramat Alon neighborhood for the “Haifa Residents’ Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations” (גן חסידי אומות העולם).

The garden features several paths with stone plaques engraved with names and brief descriptions of their heroic deeds. At the time of its opening, 19 Righteous Among the Nations were known to have lived in Haifa: 9 from Poland, 6 from Ukraine, and one each from Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Sweden. Later, a 20th plaque was added.

Only five of them were still alive at the time of the park’s opening.

Four were honored for their acts of bravery committed as children.

Yaroslava Levytska is the youngest person ever awarded this title for rescuing Jews.

At the park’s entrance, on an uneven stone, three symbols are engraved: the emblem of the Righteous, the Yad Vashem logo, and the emblem of the City of Haifa. Below them is a quote from the Talmud: “Whoever saves one Jewish life is as if they have saved the entire world.”

Memorial Stones of the Righteous Among the Nations in Haifa

The Righteous Garden in Haifa features plaques honoring those who saved Jews during the Holocaust. Here are brief summaries of their stories:

• Halina Lugovska (Poland): Hid a Jewish woman in her home for 32 weeks and later helped her find refuge with her family.
• Anna Hornung-Tomachak (Ukraine): Pretended to be the mother of a Jewish family to save them in the Ternopil region.
• Victoria Tsukrovych-Aichberger (Poland): Together with her sister, hid a Jew who was fleeing the Nazis.
• Pelagia Guchak-Springer (Poland): Saved 20 Jewish women and the family of a Jewish workshop owner.
• Yaroslava Levytska (Ukraine): As a teenager, brought food to the ghetto and hid Jewish children with her family.
• Jerzy Shelaga (Poland): Delivered food and letters to the Warsaw Ghetto, risking his life.
• Julia Kaldi-Ralbovska (Czechoslovakia): Hid a Jew and buried his mother to keep the hiding place secret.
• Elisabeta Nikopoi-Strul (Romania): Warned of a pogrom, sheltered and fed more than 15 Jews despite arrest and beatings.
• Tamara Maksymeniuk-Bromberg (Ukraine): Delivered food to the ghetto with her mother, rescued families, and organized shelters.
• Bela (Valya) Lipper (Ukraine): Hid her Jewish husband and six others for 19 months.
• Victor Melnyk (Ukraine): Hid Jews with his family, provided forged documents, and helped them escape.
• Zofia-Marta Avni (Poland): Hid six Jews in an attic in Warsaw with her family for a year and a half.
• Irena Yakira-Ziental (Poland): Hid 13 Jews with her mother in a specially prepared hiding place.
• Raoul Wallenberg (Sweden): Diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in Hungary; disappeared after being arrested by Soviet forces in 1945.
• Anna Dobrucka-Ezerska (Poland): Saved a family during the liquidation of the Tarnow Ghetto and later married one of those she rescued.
• Franya Dedek-Belska (Ukraine): Born in Nadvirna, rescued two Jewish boys and survived a displaced persons camp, the “Exodus” ship attempt, and eventually immigrated to Israel, where she converted to Judaism and became Fruma Belska.

Each name is a reminder of courage, humanity, and sacrifice. The Haifa memorial preserves the memory of those who risked everything to save others.

On February 12, 2025, students from the Bosmat School visited the “Beit Gil Zahav” nursing home in Kiryat Eliahu to congratulate Yaroslava Levytska on her 90th birthday and express their gratitude for her heroism. The event was part of the activities of Haifa’s Municipal Institute for Holocaust Studies, which works to preserve the memory of the Righteous Among the Nations and pass on Holocaust remembrance to future generations.

According to Yad Vashem, as reported by journalist Shimon Briman, Ukrainian native Yaroslava Levytska is the only Righteous Among the Nations currently living in Israel. She has lived in Haifa since the early 1990s and receives full support from the State of Israel.

Biography of Yaroslava Levytska: The Journey of a Righteous Among the Nations from Zolochiv to Haifa

Yaroslava Levytska, according to journalist Shimon Briman, was born in 1935 in the town of Zolochiv, which was then part of Poland and today is in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. In July 1941, the German army occupied the region and began the systematic extermination of the Jewish population. A ghetto was established in Zolochiv, and Jews were stripped of their rights, food, and any chance of survival. It was during this time that the Levytsky family’s courageous acts became part of history.

The Heroism of the Levytsky Family: 29 Lives Saved

Yaroslava’s grandfather, Oleksandr Levytsky, began supplying food and medicine to his Jewish friends from the start of the occupation. In December 1942, when the Zolochiv Ghetto was officially created, he started sending supplies through his seven-year-old granddaughter Yaroslava. She walked two kilometers from their home to the ghetto each week for ten months. The risk was immense — German guards could have executed them. But Yaroslava carried out her task calmly and bravely.

Thanks to her actions, many Jewish families and children survived.

Yorek Shenker and Richards Feiring: Stories of the Rescued

One of the children saved was Yorek Shenker, only six years old, now known as Yoram Miron. To avoid suspicion, Yaroslava would play with him outside while he was in hiding. The family also sheltered Richards Feiring. Both boys survived the Holocaust thanks to the courage of Yaroslava and her family.

Additionally, for ten months, the Levytsky family provided food to a group of 25 Jews hiding in the basement of a destroyed building. Despite fear and fatigue, Yaroslava kept delivering food. This entire group survived until the Red Army liberated the area in July 1944.

Life After the War

After liberation, Yaroslava graduated from School No. 2 in Zolochiv in 1952 and went on to attend medical college. She worked as a feldsher and later as head of the infectious disease prevention department. She lived modestly and never sought any personal gain for her family’s heroism. Her father Petro Levytsky also played a key role in rescuing Jews but was not officially recognized by Yad Vashem — a fact that remains painful to this day.

Recognition and Immigration to Israel

On August 20, 1989, two of the people she rescued — Avraham Shapiro and Israel Fenster — submitted a petition to Yad Vashem to recognize Oleksandr, Kateryna, and Yaroslava Levytska as Righteous Among the Nations. On September 21, 1989, Yad Vashem officially awarded them the title. Yaroslava herself planted a tree in honor of her family in the Garden of the Righteous in Jerusalem.

In 1995, she permanently moved to Israel, where she was granted citizenship, a government pension, and an apartment. Later, she settled in the Beit Gil Zahav senior care facility in Haifa.

90 Years of Heroism and Humanity

On her 90th birthday, Yaroslava Levytska was honored by the Haifa Holocaust Education Municipal Institute, the Moriah-Haifa Rotary Club, and students of the “Basmat” school. She shared:

“I am happy to live here, in Israel. At 90, I want for nothing. This is a special country.”

Words of Gratitude from Israel

“Israel and the Jewish people will never forget the vital role played by the Righteous Among the Nations during World War II, when they took great risks to save the lives of thousands of Jews.”

Some of these heroes, like Yaroslava, chose Israel as their new home — and became part of its living history.

NAnews – Israel News continues to tell these stories to ensure the memory of Jewish-Ukrainian solidarity lives on and inspires future generations.

The Lessons of History and the Power of Memory

Today, Yaroslava Levytska’s name is engraved on a memorial stone in Haifa’s Righteous Garden — while she is still alive, a unique distinction. She is recognized, respected, and cared for.

Her story is a profound example of selfless humanity in the face of ultimate evil. It reminds us that children, adults, and the elderly alike can act with courage and conscience.

NAnews – Israel News believes that telling these stories is essential to preserving the bond between the Jewish and Ukrainian peoples. In an age of war and terrorism, when hatred rises again, these stories help us to see the human being in one another.

The deal with Iran may not be just about Iran

There is a lot of noise, leaks, contradictory statements, and political smoke surrounding the possible US-Iran deal. On the surface, everything looks familiar: Tehran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions, oil, missiles, Hezbollah, Hamas, Israel’s security.

But if you look more broadly, another question arises: is this deal part of a larger American strategy against China?

For Beijing, Iran has long been not just ‘another country under sanctions.’

It was an energy rear, a source of cheap oil, a land and sea hub in the Middle East, and an important element of the large anti-American alliance China — Russia — Iran. That is why a possible shift of Iran from a closed sanctions regime to a more transparent international field could hit not only Tehran but also the Chinese model of influence.

It is important to clarify immediately: it is not about Iran being ‘bought,’ China already ‘losing,’ and the US reshaping the Middle East with one memorandum. No. The deal has not yet become a final reality. Reuters reported on June 12, 2026, that Trump sharply rejected the Iranian version of the terms of a possible agreement, calling reports of conditions too favorable for Tehran unreliable. According to Reuters, the parties are discussing a memorandum, sanctions, frozen funds, the Strait of Hormuz, and nuclear restrictions, but the final picture remains controversial.

That is why it is more correct to talk not about a completed deal, but about a possible strategic plan.

Chinese oil from Iran: where the main nerve begins

China is the main buyer of Iranian oil. According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Chinese purchases account for about 90% of exported Iranian oil, and these sales bring Tehran tens of billions of dollars a year. It is also noted that China and Iran signed a 25-year comprehensive strategic partnership agreement in 2021, including economic, technological, and defense cooperation.

For Beijing, this was a convenient scheme.

Iran was under sanctions, meaning it sold oil cheaper. China could buy it through gray mechanisms, intermediaries, shadow tankers, and schemes that complicated Western control. Tehran received money, Beijing received energy resources at a discount, and the US saw that the sanctions regime was not fully working.

If the possible US-Iran deal indeed returns Iranian oil to a more legal international field, the logic of trade itself changes. Oil becomes more visible to banks, insurers, auditors, traders, and Western regulators. China may still be able to buy Iranian oil, but no longer as an almost exclusive buyer from the gray zone.

This does not mean that Washington is ‘taking oil from China.’ But it may mean something else: the US is trying to make Chinese access to Iranian oil less cheap, less closed, and less politically convenient.

For Israel, this is not an abstract economic detail. Money from Iranian oil is not only Tehran’s budget. It is missiles, drones, proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, military infrastructure in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. If Iran’s financial flows become more transparent, it potentially changes the security field around Israel.

Hormuz as a message to Beijing

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s key energy passages. When Iran threatens Hormuz or actually restricts movement through it, it is not only a blow to the West. It is also a signal to China: your ally can influence global oil.

But now the US is trying to show the opposite.

Reuters reported on June 12, 2026, citing US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, that the US military is helping to move about 7 million barrels of oil per day from the Persian Gulf amid disruptions related to the conflict around Iran. Wright also stated that Iranian oil is not currently flowing through Hormuz, but Washington hopes for the resumption of the flow in case of a diplomatic agreement.

This is an important point. The US demonstrates that it can not only bomb, threaten, or impose sanctions but also administer the energy reality of the region itself. And if Hormuz opens not as a victory for Iran, but as part of an agreement on terms acceptable to Washington, this is already a signal not only to Tehran.

This is a signal to Beijing.

The meaning of this signal is simple: key sea routes should not become tools of Chinese proxies or partners. In the event of a major conflict around Taiwan or elsewhere in Asia, China understands its dependence on sea routes. The Strait of Malacca, Hormuz, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean — these are not geography from a textbook, but the arteries of the Chinese economy.

Therefore, the American game around Iran can be read as follows: Washington shows that the rules in energy chokepoints will be set not only by the market but also by American military and diplomatic power.

IMEC versus China’s ‘Belt and Road’

There is another layer — routes.

For many years, China has been promoting the ‘One Belt, One Road,’ building an infrastructure network of influence from Asia to Europe, including the Middle East. In this scheme, Iran was an important hub: a country between Central Asia, the Persian Gulf, the Caucasus, Turkey, and Europe.

But the US, together with India, Arab partners, Israel, and Europe, is promoting an alternative logic — the India — Middle East — Europe corridor, known as IMEC. The official description of the project speaks of a corridor that should connect trade and infrastructure of three regions — India, the Middle East, and Europe.

For Israel, this topic is especially important. In this architecture, Israel can be not a periphery, but one of the nodes of the new trade system: India — Gulf — Israel — Europe. This is not just economics. This is diplomacy, security, ports, railways, energy, technological chains.

But there is a problem: Iran, Hezbollah, Houthis, and the Russian-Iranian axis make such a route vulnerable. If the region constantly lives in a mode of missiles, blockades, sea attacks, and threats to straits, no corridor works as a normal business project.

Therefore, a possible American attempt to bring Iran out of the ‘besieged fortress’ regime may have not only a nuclear meaning. It may be part of clearing space for routes that compete with China’s ‘Belt and Road.’

NANews Israel News Nikk.Agency considers this topic precisely in the Israeli context: if the Middle East becomes not only a field of war but also a field of new logistics, then Israel gets a chance to strengthen its significance. But if Iran retains missiles, proxies, and nuclear potential, any corridor will remain a beautiful map on paper.

Why the US might want to split the China — Russia — Iran axis

For Washington, the strategic threat is not only China, Russia, and Iran separately. Their alliance is more dangerous.

Russia provides military and political support to the anti-Western camp. Iran provides proxies, missiles, drones, and pressure on Israel. China provides the economy, trade, oil purchases, technology, and diplomatic weight.

If Iran remains fully within this axis, the problem for the US and Israel becomes long-term. Tehran receives money from China, military and political support from Russia, and continues to pressure the region through Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and Shiite groups.

But if the US offers Iran an economic way out of isolation, they can play on the internal contradiction of the Iranian system itself. Not everyone in Iran wants to be a junior partner of China and Russia. Parts of the elite need the economy, investments, access to markets, technological renewal, the ability to sell oil without constant risk.

Here the logic of ‘carrot and stick’ appears.

First, forceful pressure, strikes, blockade, demonstration of control over the sea. Then — a deal, money, sanction relief, international legalization. This is very similar to Trump’s style: not to build a long ideological doctrine, but to press until the other side starts to consider the deal a lesser evil.

However, this does not mean that the scheme will necessarily work.

Where in this version is the dangerous illusion

The weakest part of the optimistic scenario is the belief that Iran can simply be ‘bought.’

The Iranian system is not a company that was offered investments and changed its strategy. There is the IRGC, the ideology of the Islamic revolution, the nuclear program, the missile industry, proxy networks, the memory of the US withdrawal from the previous nuclear deal, and the fear that concessions will be perceived as weakness.

Moreover, China will not disappear from Iran even after a possible deal. It will remain a major buyer, investor, and political partner. Russia will also do everything to keep Tehran in the anti-Western orbit.

There is also an Israeli risk.

If the deal simply unfreezes money, partially lifts sanctions, and gives Iran a respite, but does not destroy the nuclear potential, does not limit missiles, and does not cut off proxy funding, then it will not be a blow to the axis, but a pause before the next war. Israel has already experienced similar situations when Western capitals rejoiced at diplomacy, and Tehran used the time to strengthen its capabilities.

Reuters reported on June 11 that US-Iran negotiations included discussions of billions of dollars of frozen Iranian funds, and the parties continued to exchange messages on the details of the memorandum amid ongoing confrontation.

That is why for Israel the question sounds tough: what exactly does Iran get and what exactly is it obliged to give?

Not to promise. Not to freeze for a while. Not to hide. But to really give.

Israel between chance and threat

For Israel, the possible US-Iran deal has two sides.

In a dangerous scenario, Iran gets money, oil returns to the markets, sanctions are weakened, and nuclear and missile infrastructure is preserved under diplomatic formulations. Then Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and other Iranian proxies get oxygen, and Israel faces an old threat in a new package.

In a favorable scenario, something else happens. Iranian flows become more transparent. China loses part of the exclusive access to Iranian oil. Russia gets a less reliable partner. Hormuz returns under stricter international control. Inside Iran, the conflict between economic pragmatists and military ideologues intensifies. And regional proxies get less freedom for war.

The difference between these two scenarios is huge.

In the first case, the deal is dangerous for Israel. In the second, it can become the beginning of a split in the axis that has been built against the US, Israel, and the West for years.

NANews Israel News Nikk.Agency believes that the Israeli audience should look at this topic not only through the question ‘will Iran be closer to the bomb.’ This is the main question, but not the only one. We need to look more broadly: who controls oil, money, straits, routes, ports, proxies, and future trade corridors.

Because it is there that the new architecture of the Middle East is being decided today.

The main addressee may not be Tehran

If the American strategy really exists in this form, then the Iranian deal is aimed not only at Tehran. Its main hidden addressee may be Beijing.

For many years, China has used Iran as an energy crutch, a sanctions partner, and a Middle Eastern hub of influence. If the US changes the rules and moves Iran from a closed gray zone to a controlled international field, Beijing loses part of its convenient shadow.

But this is still a hypothesis, not a proven finale.

The US may conceive a big game, but Iran may disrupt it. China may adapt. Russia may ignite neighboring fronts. Israel may not accept the deal if it leaves Tehran too many opportunities for a new war.

Therefore, the correct conclusion sounds cautious but tough: a possible US-Iran deal may not be a gift to Tehran, but an attempt to change the rules of the game for China. But for Israel, such a deal makes sense only in one case — if it really weakens the Iranian military machine, and not just buys a beautiful pause before the next explosion.

The question is not whether Iran will smile at the negotiating table.

The question is who will control the money, oil, missiles, and routes after the deal.

Video by Lev Dubinsky with Igor Salikov and Ivan Dolvich from June 11, 2026 — this is not just another conversation about PMC “Wagner”. This is material that directly concerns Israel’s security because it draws a connection between Russian military structures, Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, the war against Ukraine, and the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.

The main question is harsh: could the Russian military and proxy system have been not a bystander, but part of a broader architecture of pressure on Israel?

The answers given in the interview require independent verification. But they cannot be ignored. Too many lines converge at one point: Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Russian special forces, former Wagner structures, weapon routes, FPV drones, and the experience of the war against Ukraine.

Who speaks in this video and why it matters

Three people participate in the conversation.

Lev Dubinsky is the host of a YouTube channel, a former senior investigator of the “Russian department” of the Tel Aviv police. For the Israeli audience, this is an important detail: the conversation is conducted not in an abstract political space, but from within the Israeli context, where October 7 is not a topic for geopolitical games, but a national trauma, war, casualties, hostages, destroyed families, and an open wound.

Igor Salikov is presented as a former officer of the Russian GRU special forces and an instructor of PMC “Wagner”. In the interview, he speaks not as an external commentator, but as a person who, according to him, saw part of this system from the inside.

Ivan Dolvich is the co-author of a book about “Wagner”, a person with experience in private military structures, and an analyst who helps explain to the Western audience how Russian “Wagner” differs from a regular private military or security company.

This is what makes the video important. Its value is not that it “closes the question” and provides a ready legal verdict. No. Its significance lies elsewhere: it shows the possible internal logic of the connection between Russian military structures and Middle Eastern terrorist networks.

For Israel, this is fundamental. If Moscow, Tehran, Hezbollah, and Hamas are connected not only politically but also through military specialists, technologies, routes, and combat experience, then the old formula “Russia is a complex but separate player” no longer works.

Russian structures and October 7: what Salikov claims

One of the central episodes of the interview is Igor Salikov’s claim about the preparation of specialists in the spring and summer of 2023.

According to him, even before the Hamas attack on Israel, he encountered signs of activity related to the Middle East, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Homs province, and Sudan. After October 7, these fragments, as Salikov claims, formed for him a picture of possible involvement of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation in preparing groups associated with the attack on Israel.

This is an extremely serious statement.

It’s not just about Russia politically aligning with Iran. And not only about Moscow receiving Hamas delegations or playing against the West in the Middle East. The interview talks about a much more dangerous version: possible involvement of military specialists, preparation, coordination, and presence in combat formations during the October 7 attack.

Such accusations cannot be presented as an established fact without additional evidence. But they cannot be dismissed as mere political rhetoric. If even part of what is said is confirmed, Israel will face a new level of threat.

Because then October 7 will have to be considered not only as a Hamas operation supported by Iran but as part of a broader system where Russian experience in hybrid wars, special operations, and proxy structures could be used against Israeli citizens.

Why this changes the Israeli threat landscape

After October 7, Israel most often talks about three main sources of threat: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. This is correct, but no longer sufficient.

Dubinsky’s video adds a fourth level — Russian.

And this level is especially painful for Russian-speaking Israelis. For many years, part of society tried to separate: “Russia separately, the Middle East separately, Iran separately, Ukraine separately.” But the reality of recent years shows the opposite. Russia’s war against Ukraine, Iran’s strengthening, Houthi attacks, Hezbollah’s actions, and Hamas terror increasingly look not like different crises, but as interconnected elements of one anti-Western and anti-Israeli line.

For Israel, the question is no longer whether someone likes Putin or not. The question is different: can Russian military structures, directly or through proxies, participate in processes that ultimately kill Israelis?

If yes, then this is no longer a diplomatic problem. This is a national security issue.

“Wagner” as a tool of war, cleansing, and state control

A separate important part of the interview is the discussion about the origin of PMC “Wagner”.

Dolvich and Salikov explain that “Wagner” cannot be understood as an analogue of a Western private military company. In the Western model, private military and security companies often operate within a legal framework: guarding objects, escorting, security, contractual tasks. The Russian model, as they describe it, was arranged differently.

“Wagner” is presented not as an independent mercenary business, but as a hybrid tool of the state. It was needed where the Kremlin required force without direct official responsibility.

Salikov and Dolvich say that one of the first tasks of “Wagner” was the elimination of commanders of the so-called “Russian Spring” in Ukraine — people who could become an independent military and political force, uncontrolled by Moscow. This is an important point: in such logic, “Wagner” was created not only for external war but also for control over its own radical field structures.

So it’s not just an “army for Syria” or “mercenaries for Africa”.

It’s a mechanism that could perform tasks of war, killings, cleansing, pressure, covert participation, and political control.

For Israel, this has direct significance. If “Wagner” and related structures were an extension of the Russian state system, then their contacts in the Middle East cannot be dismissed as the private initiative of individual adventurers.

In other words, if people from this environment interacted with Iran, Hezbollah, or other radical forces, the question should be not “what did the mercenaries do?” but “what task was the Russian system solving?”

Ukraine as a testing ground, Iran as a recipient of experience, Israel as the next target

One of the most alarming blocks of the video concerns drones.

Salikov claims that Hezbollah and Iranian army specialists had the opportunity to study the experience of Ukrainians on the battlefield of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The interview separately mentions FPV drones and Russian specialists who were engaged in drone technologies, did not find support within the Russian Federation, and then, according to Salikov, ended up in Iran, where they received laboratories.

This fragment is especially important for the Israeli audience.

The war in Ukraine has become the largest testing ground for modern drone warfare. There, reconnaissance UAVs, strike drones, FPV drones, guidance systems, electronic warfare, new forms of interaction between infantry, artillery, and aerial reconnaissance were tested.

Iran closely watched this war. Russia received Shahed drones from Iran, and Iran gained access to a huge array of combat experience. In such a scheme, the exchange goes not only with hardware but also with knowledge: how to use drones, how to bypass defenses, how to find weak spots, how to cheapen the strike, how to saturate the front with cheap technologies.

Now part of this experience may return against Israel.

NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers this topic as one of the key ones for understanding the new war: the Ukrainian front and the Israeli front are connected not by slogans, but by technologies, opponents, and military practice. What is being tested against Ukraine today may be used against the IDF tomorrow. What is being worked out against Israeli soldiers in the north may be part of the same school of war that Russia, Iran, and their allies have been developing for years.

FPV drones and a new threat to the IDF

The interview states that the appearance of FPV drones in Hezbollah was practically inevitable. Ivan Dolvich emphasizes: Iran does not have many partners who could teach how to work with such weapons, and cooperation with Russian structures, according to him, did not begin in 2023 but has been going on for almost ten years.

For Israel, this is not a theoretical question.

FPV drones change the nature of combat. They are dangerous for infantry, equipment, fortified positions, observation posts, antennas, warehouses, mobile groups, and even individual fighters. They are cheap, fast, flexible, and can be used en masse. An opponent who receives such technology along with combat experience becomes much more dangerous.

If behind the appearance of such capabilities in Hezbollah stands not only Iran but also Russian experience in the war against Ukraine, then Israel faces not a local threat from Lebanon. It faces an international military network where opponents learn from each other faster than politicians can recognize the new reality.

Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Gaza: possible weapon routes

In the interview, Salikov talks about the routes of weapon supplies for the Gaza Strip. In this version, Syria, Homs province, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and tunnels into Gaza are mentioned. Representatives of Hamas who were on the territory of Lebanon and visited Syria are also mentioned.

This is an important block because it shows a possible logistical map.

It’s not about random contact and not about a single transfer. According to the version voiced in the interview, there was a system where Syria and Lebanon acted as intermediate zones for supply, coordination, and communication between different participants.

For Israel, Syria has long been not just a neighboring country. It is a territory through which Iran tried to build military infrastructure, transfer weapons to Hezbollah, strengthen its positions, and create additional pressure on Israel.

But if the Russian factor is added to this scheme, the picture becomes even more complicated.

Syria is a space where the interests of Moscow, Tehran, the Assad regime, Hezbollah, Palestinian groups, and various proxy structures intersect. The Russian military presence in Syria for years created an opportunity for Moscow to observe, influence, coordinate, negotiate, and turn a blind eye to what is beneficial at a particular moment.

That is why the question of weapon routes cannot be considered separately from the question of Russia’s political role in the Middle East.

Russia and Iranian proxies: an alliance that was underestimated for too long

Another important thought is voiced in the conversation: the cooperation of Russian structures with Iran and its associated forces did not start yesterday.

Dolvich draws attention to the paradox: Russian military and intelligence officers who once fought against Islamists in the Caucasus, after new orders, were ready to interact with Hezbollah and structures associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The interview even mentions Russian servicemen who wore Hezbollah patches and other Arabic-speaking units associated with the Iranian system.

This is not just a detail for military experts. This is a symptom.

When a state stops distinguishing between terrorism and allies in the anti-Western struggle, it quickly comes to a cynical formula: yesterday’s enemy becomes a partner if it helps to pressure the US, Europe, Ukraine, or Israel.

And here for Israel arises a difficult but necessary conclusion. Russian policy in the Middle East is not neutral. It can be flexible, covert, ambiguous, but its overall vector increasingly coincides with the interests of those who weaken Israel and the West.

Iran receives political protection, military experience, international maneuvering, and a sense that it is not alone from Russia. Russia receives weapons, drones, an anti-Western front, and an additional way to divert the world’s attention from Ukraine from Iran.

And Israel in this construction turns out to be not a bystander, but one of the targets of pressure.

What exactly requires verification

A strong article on this topic should not turn the interview into a final verdict. On the contrary, the more serious the accusations, the more carefully one needs to handle the facts.

The statements of Salikov and Dolvich require verification by journalists, researchers, intelligence services, and international structures.

It is necessary to verify not general emotions, but specifics.

Who exactly could have prepared the groups associated with the October 7 attack? Where did the preparation take place? Which Russian officers or structures could have been involved? What role could former or current GRU connections play? What weapon routes passed through Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and Gaza? Who transferred the experience of working with FPV drones to Iran and Hezbollah? What contacts existed between Russian proxies and Iranian proxies after 2014?

The answers to these questions are important not only for historians and analysts. They are important for the families of Israeli soldiers, for the residents of northern Israel, for the victims of October 7, for politicians who are still trying to talk to Moscow as if nothing has changed.

NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency believes that the Russian-speaking Israeli audience has the right to know not only who pulled the trigger but also who for years created the conditions, technologies, routes, and political cover for a new war against Israel.

Why this topic is important right now

The video was published on June 11, 2026, but its meaning goes far beyond a single video.

Israel is entering a period where old foreign policy formulas no longer work. You cannot simultaneously talk about the strategic threat of Iran and ignore the Russian-Iranian military rapprochement. You cannot talk about the security of the northern border and not analyze where Hezbollah gets new technologies. You cannot discuss October 7 only as a failure of local intelligence if broader international networks could have been behind the preparation, supply, and training.

There is also another aspect.

For many Israelis, the war in Ukraine remained a “foreign war” for a long time. But if the experience of this war is used by Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas against Israel, then it is no longer foreign. If Russian specialists, technologies, or proxy structures help Israel’s enemies, then the Ukrainian front and the Israeli front become part of one threat map.

This does not mean that Ukraine and Israel can automatically be equated. Each country has its own war, its own pain, its own mistakes, and its own interests. But opponents increasingly intersect. And this can no longer be ignored.

Israel needs new honesty

The main conclusion from the interview with Dubinsky, Salikov, and Dolvich is not that tomorrow we need to announce final conclusions. The main conclusion is that Israel must honestly reassess its understanding of Russia’s role in the Middle East.

If Russia cooperates with Iran, if Russian military or proxy structures are connected with Hezbollah and Hamas, if the experience of the war against Ukraine is used against Israeli soldiers, then relations with Moscow cease to be just a diplomatic topic.

This is already part of the defense doctrine.

After October 7, Israel cannot afford convenient illusions. The threat is not limited to Gaza. It passes through Tehran, Beirut, Damascus, Moscow, the Ukrainian front, drone laboratories, weapon routes, and old intelligence connections.

Lev Dubinsky’s video is important precisely for this reason. It not only makes loud accusations. It shows the possible architecture of a new war against Israel.

Iran provides ideology, money, weapons, and a proxy network. Hamas and Hezbollah operate on the ground. Russian structures, if the information voiced in the interview is confirmed, could provide experience, technologies, logistics, and military expertise.

For Israel, this means one thing: October 7 was not an isolated Palestinian episode. It was part of a broader axis where Ukraine, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and Israel increasingly find themselves on the same war map.

Link to the video

title – “PMC Wagner and GRU Special Forces: Axis of Terror? Connection with October 7 Revealed! Salikov Dolvich and Lev Dubinsky”
here it is – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aP0tsNFIWQ

June 11, 2026, video on the channel Lev Dubinsky – https://www.youtube.com/@LevDubinsky. “Wagner PMC and GRU Special Forces: Axis of Terror? Connection with October 7 revealed! Salikov Dolvich and Lev Dubinsky”. The truth that shocks. How are the GRU special forces and Wagner PMC mercenaries connected with the preparation of the terrorist attack by Hamas and Hezbollah on Israel on October 7, 2023?

In this exclusive interview, the authors of the new investigative book — PMC insider Igor Salikov and co-author Ivan Dolvich — reveal the secret schemes, supply routes, and coordination that formed the new “Axis of Terror.” Watch until the end to find out which technologies and tactics were transferred to the militants and what role Russian special services played in this geopolitical game.

NANews Israel News Nikk.Agency.

Technological war requires money, not pauses

Ukraine seeks to receive an additional 20 billion dollars from allies to consolidate its advantage in the war against Russia. This is not about a beautiful diplomatic formula or a reserve ‘for later,’ but about a specific moment when technological superiority can change the course of the war.

A senior Ukrainian official told Politico directly: everyone sees that Russia is burning, and Ukraine wants it to burn even more. But for this, money, production, supplies, and the political determination of partners are needed.

According to the source, each allied country will be offered to allocate from 2 to 6 billion dollars. The overall goal is to raise 20 billion. Kyiv intends to direct these funds to air defense systems, drones, ammunition, electronic warfare, and long-range weapons.

Why it’s not just about aid

The main idea of the Ukrainian official sounds harsh: the window of opportunity is closing. Russia acts quickly, learns from mistakes, implements new solutions, and tries to catch up with Ukraine where it recently lagged behind.

If Moscow is given time to adapt, the current chance may be lost. And if Russia creates its own intermediate-range strike drones in sufficient quantity, it will become an extremely dangerous scenario for Ukraine.

That is why Kyiv needs not promises for next year, but funding now. The war has long since become not only a struggle of armies but also a race of engineers, factories, software, logistics, and decision-making speed.

Russia is burning — but it needs to be deprived of time to adapt

Putin’s criminal war against Ukraine has long gone beyond the old scheme of ‘tanks against tanks.’ Today, drones, guidance systems, strike range, electronic warfare, the ability to quickly change tactics, and produce thousands of weapons, not dozens of exhibition samples, decide.

Ukraine has proven that it can create solutions faster than many large military bureaucracies. It strikes at Russian refineries, warehouses, airfields, logistics, and military infrastructure. Each such strike not only causes damage — it changes the cost of war for the Kremlin.

But technological superiority cannot be preserved. It needs to be constantly expanded, otherwise, the enemy will begin to copy, scale, and respond symmetrically. Russia has already shown that it can turn Western mistakes and pauses into its new opportunities.

In this context, it is important to view Ukraine’s request not as another plea for help, but as a matter of security for the entire democratic space. If Ukraine now increases pressure on Russia, the chance for real negotiations will become higher. If the moment is missed, the war may again enter a protracted phase of attrition.

What exactly a 20 billion package can provide

An additional 20 billion dollars can become not just a financial package, but an accelerator of Ukrainian military advantage. Air defense will protect cities, energy, and military facilities. Drones will allow continued pressure on the Russian rear. Ammunition will hold the front. Electronic warfare means will help reduce the effectiveness of Russian strikes.

Long-range weapons are of particular importance. The further Ukraine is able to reach military targets inside Russia, the more difficult it is for Moscow to conduct the war as a ‘convenient’ operation at the expense of foreign territory. The Russian military machine must feel the consequences not only at the front but also deep within its own infrastructure.

For Israel, this logic is understandable. When the enemy builds a war on missiles, drones, proxy networks, and rear attrition, security depends not only on defense but also on the ability to destroy the enemy’s capabilities before they become massive.

The West must support what Ukraine has already created itself

Kyiv is right: the current moment cannot be missed. Ukraine is not asking allies to invent a new strategy for it. It has already created a working model of resistance, in which the army, engineers, intelligence, volunteers, and industry act as a single system.

Now the task of the West is not to hinder with slowness. If allies are not ready to transfer more of their own technologies and weapons, they should at least finance Ukrainian solutions that have already proven effective on the battlefield.

Money now can bring real negotiations closer

Negotiations with Russia make sense only when the Kremlin understands the cost of continuing the war.

Moscow does not go for an honest peace out of goodwill. It stops only where further aggression becomes too expensive, painful, and risky.

That is why 20 billion dollars for Ukraine is not ‘war expenses,’ but an investment in the chance to end it on more favorable terms. The stronger Ukraine is now, the less room Putin has for blackmail, stalling, and new resource mobilization.

The West has too often reacted late: first doubting, then arguing, then giving less than needed, and later admitting that it would have had to be done anyway. Repeating this cycle now is dangerous.

Ukraine has a real advantage. Russia is vulnerable. But the enemy’s vulnerability does not last forever.

If allies want the war to end not with the victim’s capitulation, but with the aggressor’s defeat at the table of real negotiations, money is needed now. Not after another Russian adaptation. Not after a new round of strikes. Not when the window is already closed.

Night of June 10-11: The US attacked Iran, Tehran responded to bases

The US and Iran exchanged strikes for the second consecutive night. The new wave of escalation occurred on the night of June 10-11: US Central Command forces, Centcom, under the order of President Donald Trump, attacked targets in Iran again, and Tehran responded with strikes on American bases in Arab countries.

A similar scenario already occurred the previous night — from June 9 to 10. Therefore, this is not a single episode, but a series of strikes that could change the situation throughout the Middle East.

According to an official Centcom report, American forces struck Iranian military surveillance assets, communication systems, and air defense facilities across Iran. The statement says that the US Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy used precision munitions against Iranian targets that posed a threat to American troops and international merchant ships passing through regional waters.

Washington emphasizes that the strikes were a response to Iran’s ‘unjustified and ongoing aggression.’ US President Donald Trump told Fox News that alongside the airstrikes, American forces launched 49 Tomahawk missiles at targets in Iran.

For Israel, this night holds special significance. Iran remains Israel’s main strategic adversary, and its military infrastructure, air defense systems, missile capabilities, and network of allied groups in the region directly affect Israeli security.

Why American targets inside Iran are important for Israel

When the US attacks Iranian communication, surveillance, and air defense facilities, it concerns not only American bases in the region. Such strikes can weaken Iran’s ability to coordinate actions, track enemy force movements, and support regional military operations.

For Israel, this is related to several threat directions. Iran supports Hezbollah, the Houthis, Shia formations in Iraq, and other forces that can be used against Israel, American assets, and US allies in the Middle East.

That is why the night of June 10-11 was not just another exchange of strikes. It showed that the US-Iran conflict is once again entering a phase of direct military pressure.

Iran’s response: Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Erbil

Iran responded with strikes on American bases in Arab countries. As on the night of June 9-10, the main strike was not directed at US territory but at military facilities where American forces are stationed in the region.

Around three in the morning, the official Iranian agency IRNA, citing the press service of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that during two waves of operations, 18 important targets belonging to the US army were hit. Among the named targets were Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al Jaber airbases in Kuwait, as well as Sheikh Isa airbase in Bahrain.

Later, around six in the morning, Iranian attacks continued. The IRGC stated that it launched 12 ballistic missile strikes on the American Al-Azraq base in Jordan. According to the Iranian side, the base of American F-35, F-15, and F-16 fighters was destroyed.

However, there is no independent confirmation of such scale of destruction yet. It is known that air defense systems were activated in Kuwait and Bahrain. Additional information on the situation in Jordan was not disclosed at the time of the first reports.

There were also reports at night of Iranian strikes on Erbil airport in Iraqi Kurdistan. This facility is important because American forces are also present in the Erbil area, and Iraq remains one of the most sensitive points of contact between the US and Iran.

Why Iran did not attack the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar

This time, another point stands out: Iran did not attack the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, although in previous rounds these countries were considered among possible or key targets.

This may indicate a more selective tactic by Tehran. Kuwait and Bahrain may have been chosen due to the location of American military facilities, which Iran considers important command and logistics centers. But there is also a diplomatic layer: in recent months, interaction between Tehran and Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh has noticeably intensified.

For Israel, this detail is no less important than the strikes themselves. If some Gulf countries are trying to maintain working channels with Iran, and Tehran consciously avoids strikes on their territory, the regional picture becomes more complex.

In this context, NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency is monitoring not only military statements but also how the diplomatic line of Arab states around Iran is changing. For Israel, such shifts can have long-term consequences — from the security of air routes to future regional alliances.

Negotiations under pressure: Trump demands a deal, Iran denies contacts

On June 10, on the eve of a new night wave of strikes, Donald Trump warned that the US is ready for a rapid escalation of military actions if Tehran does not sign an agreement soon. His wording was as harsh as possible: ‘We will bomb them to hell tomorrow.’

According to Trump, high-ranking Iranian officials allegedly contacted him directly and asked to stop American bombings. The IRGC categorically denies this and states that there were no contacts between representatives of the Iranian government and the US president.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during a visit to Centcom headquarters in Florida, told reporters that Iran has a chance to make a favorable deal, but Tehran, according to him, does not want to do so. His phrase sounded like a direct explanation of the American tactic: ‘If we need to negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs.’

This approach means that Washington is trying to combine military pressure and diplomatic bargaining. The US is not closing the door to negotiations but simultaneously shows that waiting for Iran’s response will not be endless.

What was discussed in Washington

Trump met with his national security team on June 10 to discuss possible military action options. According to Axios, one of the scenarios was a large-scale but short-term operation aimed at forcing Iran to change its position in negotiations.

This is an important detail. The US, judging by the described logic, does not necessarily seek a protracted war but is ready for a sharp strike if they believe diplomacy has reached an impasse. The problem is that in the Middle East, even a ‘short-term operation’ can quickly go beyond the initial plan.

Axios also notes that Trump waited almost two weeks for Iran’s response to the latest American proposal and became increasingly disappointed. Meanwhile, negotiations through intermediaries continued. Only on June 10, Qatari representatives held talks in Tehran, trying to resolve remaining disagreements.

What might happen next

After the night of June 10-11, the main question is not only which targets were hit. More importantly, whether the US, Iran, and intermediaries can keep the escalation within manageable limits.

If Iran continues to strike American bases, Washington may expand the list of targets inside Iran. If the US intensifies attacks, Tehran may engage allied forces in Iraq, Yemen, Syria, or Lebanon. For Israel, this means increased risks on several fronts.

While both sides speak the language of force, they do not completely close the negotiation channel. That is why the period after the night of June 10-11 becomes critical: the strikes may remain part of the pressure before a deal, or they may become the beginning of a new and much more dangerous phase of the US-Iran confrontation.

In June 2026, “Evenings of Humor” will be held in Israel featuring Ukrainian comedians Oleksandr Stepanenko and Ivan Kukharchuk — artists known to audiences from the Ukrainian project “League of Laughter.” The poster promises an hour and a half of live humor, popular acts, television stories, and comedic improvisation. The program will include a charity auction with valuable lots, and the collected funds will be donated to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

For the Israeli Ukrainian and Russian-speaking audience, this event looks not just like another concert. After 2022, the Ukrainian stage has changed significantly: humor has become not only a way to distract but also a form of support for the country, the army, and people living in wartime conditions.

According to the published poster, performances will take place in three cities in Israel: Netanya, Rishon LeZion, and Ashdod. The description also states that the program will include a charity auction with valuable lots, and the collected funds will be donated to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Evenings of Humor in Israel: Who Will Perform and Where the Program Will Take Place

Organizers invite viewers for an hour and a half of sincere laughter and a positive atmosphere. The program includes favorite acts familiar from television performances, as well as live comedic improvisation.

A separate part of the evening is a charity auction. According to the poster, all collected funds will be donated to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. For many viewers in Israel, this makes the event not just entertaining but also socially important.

Performance Schedule

Date	City	Time	Venue
June 9, 2026	Netanya	19:00	Heichal HaTarbut, Dormund Hall / Dortmund, 4 Raziel St.
June 11, 2026	Rishon LeZion	19:00	Beit HaAm, 3 Zadal St.
June 13, 2026	Ashdod	21:00	Monart Concert Hall, 8 Derech Eretz St.

Tickets are already available for sale.

Who are Oleksandr Stepanenko and Ivan Kukharchuk

Oleksandr Stepanenko and Ivan Kukharchuk are Ukrainian comedians associated with the television project “League of Laughter.” This is one of the most recognizable comedic formats in Ukraine, where teams perform sketches, improvisations, and topical stage acts.

In the poster for the Israeli concerts, they are presented as frontmen of top teams of the “League of Laughter.” It states: Oleksandr Stepanenko — “30+”, Ivan Kukharchuk — “Resting Together.”

Both artists are connected to the Ukrainian comedy scene, television humor, and volunteer projects that emerged after the start of the full-scale war.

For NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency, this story is interesting precisely at the intersection of culture, the Israeli Ukrainian community, and aid to Ukraine. In Israel, such evenings often become not only an entertainment event but also a meeting place for people for whom the Ukrainian theme remains personal.

How they helped Ukraine after 2022

After the start of the full-scale war, Ukrainian artists, comedians, and TV hosts began actively participating in charity concerts, volunteer gatherings, and public campaigns in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleksandr Stepanenko and Ivan Kukharchuk also found themselves within this cultural-volunteer wave.

In July 2022, Ukrainian media reported that comedians from the “League of Laughter” held charity concerts and auctions to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Oleksandr Stepanenko from the “Resting Together” team participated in such events. The format was clear: humor, meeting with the audience, and collecting aid for the Ukrainian army.

Another example is charity sports and cultural events. In Ukrainian announcements after 2022, Stepanenko was mentioned among the participants of events in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where artists, athletes, and public figures performed together.

Ivan Kukharchuk is associated with the “30+” team, whose concerts after 2022 were repeatedly presented as performances with fundraising for Ukrainian defenders. In regional announcements, the “30+” team was presented as a “League of Laughter” collective inviting viewers not only to humor but also to support the army.

“Volunteer Landing” as a New Role for Humor

It is worth noting separately the project “League of Laughter. Volunteer Landing.” After 2022, it became one of the symbols of how Ukrainian humor transitioned into a format of supporting the army and society.

In this special season, teams competed not just for victory but for the opportunity to fulfill a volunteer mission for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In publications about the second season of “Volunteer Landing,” both Ivan Kukharchuk and Oleksandr Stepanenko were mentioned among the participants and coaches.

This shows that their participation in the comedic scene after the start of the war was not limited to ordinary concerts. They were part of a broader Ukrainian volunteer cultural environment.

Why this is important for Israel

For Israel, such concerts have a separate meaning. There is a large Ukrainian community living here, many immigrants from Ukraine, as well as people for whom the war against Ukraine is not a distant news story but part of family and personal reality.

An evening of humor in such a situation works in several directions at once. It gives people the opportunity to meet, hear live Ukrainian speech, support artists, and at the same time participate in helping Ukraine.

Moreover, the charity auction in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine makes these performances not only a cultural but also a public event. This is an important signal: the Ukrainian theme in Israel remains alive, and support for Ukraine can be expressed not only through rallies, statements, and news but also through concerts, gatherings, community meetings, and cultural evenings.

Briefly for the reader

• Oleksandr Stepanenko and Ivan Kukharchuk are Ukrainian comedians from the orbit of the “League of Laughter.”
• After 2022, they participated in charity and volunteer formats related to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
• In Israel, performances will take place in June 2026 in Netanya, Rishon LeZion, and Ashdod.
• The program includes comedic acts, live improvisation, and a charity auction.
• According to the poster, all funds collected at the auction will be donated to the needs of the Ukrainian army.

For Ukrainians, Israelis, and the Russian-speaking audience of Israel, this is not just an evening of laughter. It is another way to show that Ukraine remains in focus, and culture during wartime can be not only entertainment but also a form of solidarity.

Performance Schedule and Tickets

Date	City	Time	Venue
June 9, 2026	Netanya	19:00	Heichal HaTarbut, Dormund Hall / Dortmund, 4 Raziel St.
June 11, 2026	Rishon LeZion	19:00	Beit HaAm, 3 Zadal St.
June 13, 2026	Ashdod	21:00	Monart Concert Hall, 8 Derech Eretz St.

Tickets are already available for sale.

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This is how the story begins about the complex and deep relations between the Jewish and Ukrainian peoples on the channel “History of Ukraine named after T.G. Shevchenko.”

Channel “History of Ukraine named after T.G. Shevchenko” – a dive into the past

YouTube channel “History of Ukraine in the name of T.G. Shevchenko” – https://www.youtube.com/@imtgsh — a unique resource for anyone interested in the history of Ukraine.

The authors of the channel, the Kapranov brothers, famous Ukrainian writers and researchers, create high-quality historical content that reveals complex and often forgotten pages of the past.

The Kapranov brothers are Dmitry Vitalievich Kapranov (July 24, 1967 – April 16, 2024) and Vitaly Vitalievich Kapranov (born July 24, 1967). They are known as Ukrainian writers, publishers, publicists, public figures and bloggers.

On September 4, 2019, they launched their YouTube channel called “Name of T. G. Shevchenko”dedicated to the history of Ukraine. The channel quickly became popular thanks to its interesting approach to presenting historical material.

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Kapranov brothers took up arms and defended the Kyiv region as part of the Azov regiment. After finishing their service, they returned to civilian life and focused on developing their YouTube channel, continuing to talk about important moments in Ukrainian history.

Channel Features:

1. In-depth historical analysis

   Each video is a study based on facts, archival materials and expert opinions. In particular, topics such as interaction between Jews and Ukrainians are covered objectively and comprehensively.

2. Available material supply

   The channel uses simple and understandable language to make complex historical events understandable to a wide range of viewers. The videos are accompanied by illustrations, quotes and visuals that make the content even more interesting.

3. Relevance

   The videos on the channel not only cover historical events, but also help to understand their impact on modern times. This is especially important for those who want to understand the complex relationships between peoples, as in the case of Jews and Ukrainians.

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• “Blood libel and its origins”

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• “The Kiev letter: the most ancient evidence of Jewish life in Rus’”

  A fascinating video about a 10th century document written by the Jewish community of Kyiv. This is one of the oldest texts mentioning Kyiv.

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Channel “History of Ukraine in the name of T.G. Shevchenko” unique in its objectivity, depth of analysis and respect for different points of view. This is an ideal place to study history through the prism of the interaction of peoples, cultures and religions. Every viewer will find something interesting and important here.

Subscribe to the channel, leave comments and support the authors so that high-quality historical content continues to develop!

This story is not only about coexistence, but also about the mutual influence of cultures, languages, religions and socio-economic systems.

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Ancient traces of Jews on Ukrainian lands

The first traces of the presence of Jews on the territory of modern Ukraine date back to pre-Christian times. In the Black Sea region and the Bosporan kingdom, artifacts with Jewish inscriptions and images of a menorah were discovered, which indicate the existence of Jewish communities in these regions already in the first millennium BC.

Interestingly, the Jewish community developed simultaneously with other civilizations such as Scythia and Sarmatia, indicating close ties between the peoples. In particular, the development of trade routes through the Caucasus and Crimea contributed to the emergence of Jewish merchants who played an important role in the economic life of the region.

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Khazar Khaganate and the role of the Jews

The Khazar Khaganate, which existed on the territory of modern Ukraine in the 7th–10th centuries, became a unique example where the ruling elite adopted Judaism as the state religion. This was a rare case, since the Jewish tradition does not imply missionary work or the conversion of other peoples to their faith.

Nevertheless, the Kaganate left an important legacy: the Jewish community became part of the local elite, and the religious and cultural identity of the Jews was strengthened.

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Jewish-Slavic language: a forgotten chapter of history

Living in Ukrainian lands, Jews began to speak local Slavic dialects. This language, known as Judeo-Slavic, was widespread in everyday life, but religious texts, rites and rituals were preserved exclusively in the Hebrew language. Over time, under the influence of migrations and social changes, the Jewish-Slavic language was replaced by Yiddish.

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Kiev letter: evidence of ancient connections

One of the first written documents confirming the presence of Jews on Ukrainian lands is the Kiev Letter. This 10th-century document was created by the Jewish community of Kyiv and is a request for help from a fellow countryman in paying off a debt. Interestingly, this is one of the most ancient texts mentioning Kyiv, and it is kept in the library of the University of Cambridge.

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Medieval Europe and the flight of Jews to the East

While Jews in Europe were subjected to persecution, pogroms and bloody slander, Kievan Rus remained relatively tolerant. This attracted Jewish communities who were looking for safer living conditions.

Numbers:

• By the beginning of the 17th century, the number of Jews in Ukrainian lands reached 50 thousand people.
• In Poland and Ukrainian lands, Jews paid taxes in communities (kagals), which gave them relative autonomy.

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Khmelnytskyi region: a turning point in Jewish-Ukrainian relations

The period of the Bohdan Khmelnytsky uprising (1648–1657) became a test for Jewish communities. Despite the fact that the main causes of the uprising were related to the Polish gentry and their policies, Jews who occupied the positions of tenants and managers found themselves at the epicenter of popular anger.

Consequences of the uprising:

• About 10–20 thousand Jews died as a result of pogroms.
• Many Jews were forced to leave Ukrainian lands or convert to Christianity.
• These events were reflected in the work of Rabbi Nathan Hanover, “Deep Mud,” which describes the suffering of Jewish communities.

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The Russian Empire and the Pale of Settlement

After the annexation of Ukrainian lands to the Russian Empire, Jewish communities found themselves in a zone of severe discrimination. The Pale of Settlement, pogroms and anti-Semitic laws became the new reality for Jews living in this region.

However, Ukrainians, like Jews, themselves suffered from the repressive policies of the Russian Empire. This common experience of oppression later became the basis for mutual understanding between the two peoples.

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Modernity: dialogue of cultures

Today, interaction between Ukrainians and Jews remains relevant. Israel has become home to many people from Ukraine who brought elements of their culture and traditions to the country.

Our website NAnews – Israel News helps disseminate information about significant events related to Ukraine and the Jewish people. We believe that studying shared history helps us better understand the present and build bridges between peoples.

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Conclusion

The history of Jews and Ukrainians is a thousand-year path of cooperation, mutual influence and, unfortunately, tragic pages. However, preserving memories and respecting common roots can be the basis for deeper mutual understanding in the future.

This article was prepared using materials from the channel “History of Ukraine in the name of T.G. Shevchenko.” We thank the authors for their detailed research, which helps illuminate important aspects of the shared history.

If you want to know more, follow our publications on NAnews – Israel News.

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