Israel News

A large-scale fire occurred in the religious and pilgrimage complex near the burial site of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi — the Alter Rebbe, founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement and author of the book “Tanya,” in the city of Hadiach, Poltava region.

The fire started on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 11:36 PM, just a few dozen minutes before midnight. The fire engulfed the central building of the complex, which housed the main synagogue, kitchen, dining rooms, and accommodations for pilgrims. The fire continued into the night of Saturday, July 25, which according to the Jewish calendar corresponded to 11 Av 5786.

According to preliminary estimates by Chabad representatives, the material damage could amount to millions of dollars. This is not yet the final amount confirmed by a state examination, but the first estimate by the complex administration after inspecting the damage.

Previously we wrote:

Where did Ukraine get ≈17 million dollars for the repair of the “road to the grave of Shneur Zalman of Liadi (founder of Chabad)”: what is written in Israel and what documents show in Ukraine.

A “Cohen Bridge” was built in Ukraine for $1,000,000: in Hadiach, the Chabad shrine was made accessible to the descendants of ancient priests — what is it and for what purpose?

The central building is almost destroyed

The main building of the pilgrimage complex, also known as “Rabbeinu HaGadol” and the “Admor HaZaken” center, suffered the most serious damage.

The central part of the complex was almost completely destroyed by fire. The main synagogue burned down, significant damage was done to the professional kitchen, dining rooms, and facilities intended for accommodating and serving guests.

The fire destroyed the synagogue and heavily damaged the kitchen and guest infrastructure. Published footage after the fire shows that the roof of the central building collapsed, and the interior was burned out.

Official Ukrainian reports still use more cautious wording. According to the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Poltava region, the roof and walls of the religious organization’s building were seriously damaged. This difference in descriptions is explained by the fact that rescuers published operational information, while community representatives were later able to assess the condition of the interior.

People evacuated themselves and saved valuables

People who were in the synagogue at the time the fire started left the building on their own before the fire completely engulfed the central premises.

Some of them, along with local staff, managed to carry out religious valuables. Chabad representatives reported that several Torah scrolls were saved. The exact number of scrolls, books, and other items carried out has not yet been publicly disclosed.

According to available information, there are no dead or injured. Rabbi Shneur Zalman Deutsch, representing Chabad in Hadiach and responsible for the complex’s operations, as well as his wife and children, are safe. Ynet clarifies that the rabbi himself was not in the city at the time of the fire.

NANews — Israel News notes that the absence of casualties was the main positive outcome of the incident, considering the speed of the fire’s spread and the scale of the destruction of the central building.

What is known about the cause of the fire

A preliminary version is being considered that the fire could have started due to a short circuit or other electrical network malfunction.

However, the official cause of the fire has not yet been established. Specialists continue to inspect the damaged premises, and the investigation is considering all possible versions.

At the time of preparing the material, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and the SES had not published a final expert conclusion. There is also no confirmed data on arson, anti-Semitic attack, or the impact of a Russian munition.

Therefore, claims of deliberate destruction of the complex or military attack currently have no official confirmation. The main working version remains a technical malfunction, but final conclusions should be made by fire-technical experts.

The available reports also do not yet specify the exact number of firefighters, the number of equipment units, and the time of complete fire extinguishment. It is known that eyewitnesses called rescuers shortly after the fire was discovered, and by July 25 the fire was extinguished.

Was the grave of the Alter Rebbe affected

It is necessary to clarify separately that the fire occurred in the central prayer and guest building located near the burial site of Rabbi Shneur Zalman.

In the published official and community reports, there is no information yet that the fire damaged the ohel itself — the structure directly above the grave of the Alter Rebbe. There is also no confirmation of the destruction of the burial itself.

Therefore, statements that the “grave of the founder of Chabad” burned in Hadiach are inaccurate. The destruction of the main synagogue and serious damage to the infrastructure of the pilgrimage complex near the grave has been confirmed.

What was in the complex

The Jewish religious community “Alter Rebbe” and the center of Hasidism “Admor HaZaken” are located on the outskirts of Hadiach, in the Poltava region. The complex was built with funds from benefactors and patrons from different countries around the world.

Before the fire, it housed:

• a large central synagogue;
• a library of religious literature;
• a mikvah;
• a professional kitchen;
• spacious dining rooms;
• dozens of rooms for pilgrims;
• separate residential and auxiliary buildings;
• premises for prayers, classes, and commemorative events.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine indicates that the main task of the center was to provide thousands of pilgrims with housing, food, and everything necessary during their visit to the ohel of the Alter Rebbe.

The construction of the modern complex began almost two decades ago. The main building was completed in 2013, during events dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the passing of the Alter Rebbe. After that, the center continued to expand and develop.

Rabbi Shneur Deutsch manages the complex throughout the year, receives pilgrims, and provides assistance to Jewish communities in the Poltava region, where hundreds of Jews live.

Why Hadiach holds special significance for Jews

Shneur Zalman of Liadi, known as the Alter Rebbe and Baal HaTanya, was born in 1745 in Liozna, in present-day Belarus. He became the founder of the intellectual direction of Chabad Hasidism and wrote “Tanya” — one of the most important books in the Chabad tradition.

In 1812, during the war of the Russian Empire with Napoleon, the Alter Rebbe left Liadi. During the journey, he fell ill and died on December 26, 1812. His body was brought to Hadiach, Poltava province, where he was buried in the local Jewish cemetery.

Over subsequent generations, the grave of the Alter Rebbe remained a place of prayer and pilgrimage.

During the Holocaust, the Jewish community of Hadiach was almost completely destroyed. In the Soviet period, believers’ access to religious sites was severely restricted.

In the late 1980s, by order of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, special emissaries began visiting and restoring the burial sites of Chabad leaders in the Soviet Union. In 1987–1990, Rabbi David Nachshon participated in these works, in particular.

After the collapse of the USSR, the area near the grave of the Alter Rebbe began to turn into a major international religious center.

About 10,000 visitors annually even during the war

Before the full-scale Russian aggression, the complex in Hadiach was visited annually by tens of thousands of people.

Even during the war, about 10,000 pilgrims a year continue to visit the grave of the Alter Rebbe. About a third of them visit Hadiach in connection with the yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe — the anniversary of his passing, observed on 24 Tevet, usually in December or January.

At other times, organized groups of Ukrainian Jews, community representatives from different regions of Ukraine, as well as pilgrims from Israel, Europe, and the United States, arrive in Hadiach.

Due to the closure of Ukrainian airspace, many foreign visitors fly to Chisinau and then continue their journey to Hadiach by car. Such a trip can take from 12 to 15 hours.

Israeli sources call the complex near the grave of the Alter Rebbe the second largest place of Jewish pilgrimage and prayer in Ukraine after Uman.

The complex is planned to be restored

Rabbi Shneur Deutsch stated that the complex’s staff is in shock. According to him, the central building, into which years of work were invested, has practically turned to ashes.

Despite the scale of the destruction, the rabbi confirmed the intention to fully restore the complex. He acknowledged that the work would require significant resources and time but expressed confidence that Jewish communities and Chabad followers worldwide would join in the restoration.

The chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, Rabbi Meir Stambler, reported that the organization is awaiting the final results of the investigation and is maintaining contact with Ukrainian authorities.

The Federation is preparing to provide new religious books, sacred texts, and items necessary for restoring the complex’s prayer life. The final amount of damage, reconstruction budget, and start dates for construction work have not yet been announced.

There has already been a fire in the Jewish center in Hadiach

The current incident is not the first fire on the territory of the Jewish religious center in Hadiach.

On March 21, 2017, an auxiliary room of the Charitable Cultural and Religious Center, owned by the Federation of Jewish Religious Communities of Ukraine, caught fire.

At that time, firefighters extinguished the fire in about 40 minutes and managed to save the main building. The fire destroyed about 60 square meters of foam. The main version was a spark from welding work hitting the insulation.

The 2026 fire turned out to be incomparably more destructive: the main synagogue was destroyed, the central building almost completely burned out, and the damage is preliminarily estimated at millions of dollars.

What questions remain unanswered

The investigation and the complex’s management still need to establish:

• the exact technical cause of the fire;
• the final amount of material damage;
• a complete list of destroyed religious books and items;
• the condition of individual structures near the grave;
• the scope of work required for reconstruction;
• the timeline for restoring the synagogue, kitchen, and guest facilities.

NANews — Israel News will continue to monitor the situation. At the moment, the main confirmed fact is that in one of the largest fires in the complex’s history, no one died or was injured, and pilgrims and staff managed to save several Torah scrolls.

However, restoring one of Chabad’s most important centers in Ukraine will require significant international support and will likely take a considerable amount of time.

In October 2025, the documentary film “Second Wind” by director Maria Kondakova was released in Ukraine — a story about people who have gone through war, loss, and rehabilitation but have not lost the ability to dream. The film tells the story of five Ukrainian defenders who climbed to the summit of Kilimanjaro — despite amputations, prosthetics, and chronic pain.

Film about overcoming and returning to life

The project was initiated by Gennady Gazin — a Jewish-Ukrainian-American businessman and philanthropist, founder of the fund “If Not Now Then When”. He served as the idea author, producer, and financier of the film.

“This project is a natural continuation of my interests. Love for the mountains has become an important part of life, and I am glad to combine mountaineering with charitable initiatives. The experience of challenging climbs and dangerous situations has made me appreciate every moment even more and support those who bravely defend their land,” noted Gennady Gazin.

According to Gennady Gazin, the idea for the film was born in Israel. It was there that he saw a soldier with a prosthetic who, despite the amputation, lived an active, full life. This moment became the starting point for the idea to show the strength, dignity, and ability of Ukrainian veterans to overcome. This is mentioned in a review by the publication “Ukrainian Truth. Culture”, which notes that it was in Israel that the idea for the film and the eponymous veteran movement arose.

Alexander Pedan, a well-known TV presenter and athlete, became the host and co-producer of the film.

“This project became personal for me. Mountaineering always teaches respect for life and gratitude for the opportunity to move forward. I am glad that I could combine this experience with a cause that has meaning,” says Pedan.

Cinematographer — Sergey Mikhalsky, a recognized master of Ukrainian cinema, whose works “Dovbush”, “The Guide”, and “Mamay” have been noted at international festivals. His visual solution gave the film depth and expressiveness — each frame conveys real effort, breath, step, light, and shadow on the faces of the heroes.

Filming took place in Ukraine and Tanzania. The crew worked at an altitude of over five thousand meters with sharp temperature fluctuations — from heat to night frosts. The film was shot without staged scenes: the camera captures the real steps of the participants, their fatigue, pain, jokes, and joy, at times becoming a participant in the climb.

“Ukrainian defenders and a defender climbed Kilimanjaro to show other servicemen who have experienced injuries or amputations that life does not lose its meaning after this. After an injury, it changes, but you can still live fully, engage in sports, and even conquer peaks,” says the project description.

Heroes of the film: what was found out from open sources

The film “Second Wind” features five Ukrainian defenders who, after injuries and amputations, climbed Kilimanjaro. Here’s what was established about them based on public sources:

Names and general information

Project participants (according to reviews and press materials) —
Roman “Dobryak” Kolesnik, Vladislav “Shatya” Shatilo, Mikhail “Grizzly” Matviev, Alexander “Ragnar” Mikhov, and Olga “Height” Yegorova.

The review in UP.Culture states that four out of five men have lower limb amputations and use prosthetics.

Roman “Dobryak” Kolesnik

• Veteran of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade (3 OShBr).
• Injured in May 2022, leg amputation.
• Completed a series of climbs in the Carpathians — Petros, Hoverla, Nesamovyte, Shpytsi.
• Covered more than 50 km with a 20 kg backpack on a prosthetic.
• Raised 1,000,000 UAH for the needs of the Armed Forces units.
  (RBC-Ukraine, NV Life, Life.Pravda.com.ua).

Olga “Height” Yegorova

• Servicewoman who received a wound during combat operations.
• The only woman among the film’s participants.
• Some publications mention a possible connection with Surma Team (not officially confirmed).
  (UNIAN, Ukr.net, Rubryka).

Vladislav “Shatya” Shatilo

• Veteran with a lower limb amputation.
• One of four men climbing on a prosthetic.
  (UP.Culture, Interfax-Ukraine).

Mikhail “Grizzly” Matviev

• Combat veteran.
• Has a lower limb amputation.
  (Interfax-Ukraine, Cinema.in.ua).

Alexander “Ragnar” Mikhov

• Special forces unit fighter.
• One of the participants who climbed Kilimanjaro with a prosthetic.
  (Rubryka, UNIAN).

How the idea for the film was born

The plot of the film grew out of Gennady Gazin’s personal initiative.

“Then Gazin, an American of Ukrainian-Jewish descent, feeling the war of his two peoples against terror, came up with a veteran movement and a way to promote it — creating a film of the same name, and then a support fund ‘If Not Now Then When’,” notes the review in UP.Culture.

Gazin proposed the script basis: veterans with amputations storm the mountain, proving that physical limitations do not set limits on human capabilities.

To realize the idea, he invited Maria Kondakova, whose previous documentary film “My War” (2020) told about women on the front line and was noted by critics for its sincerity and accuracy of observation.

The team decided to focus on real stories, without actors, without staging, and without pathos.
The result is an honest and powerful film in which each hero speaks in their own voice, and the camera does not hide weakness or pain.

Perception

The film “Second Wind” received positive reviews from film critics and viewers.
Reviewers from UP.Culture call it a “story of overcoming, rehabilitation, and inner rebirth”, noting that “the strength visualized in the dynamics of light and sound is understandable to every viewer, regardless of language and citizenship.”

The film became not just a cinematic work but part of a humanitarian project that combines culture, volunteering, and psychological support for veterans.

Gennady Gazin: biography and international activities

Gennady Gazin was born in Zhitomir, in a Jewish family. As a child, he emigrated with his parents to the USA.
Education: Cornell University (engineering), Stanford (master’s), Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (MBA).

Professional path:

• Engineer at Bell Communications Research and General Dynamics;
• Partner at McKinsey & Company, head of the technology and telecommunications practice;
• CEO of EastOne Group (2007–2012);
• Chairman of the Supervisory Board of “Kyivstar” (since 2022).

In recent years, Gazin is primarily known as a philanthropist and public figure.
He heads the Genesis Philanthropy Group (GPG) — an international fund supporting Jewish educational and cultural initiatives in Israel, the USA, and Europe.

Under his leadership, GPG funds programs:

• Yad Vashem (the national Holocaust memorial),
• Jewish Agency for Israel,
• Taglit–Birthright Israel,
• JDC (Joint Distribution Committee),
• Cultural and youth projects of the Jewish diaspora.

Gazin is a member of the planning committee of Taglit–Birthright Israel, regularly participates in events in the Knesset, at forums in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
He is known as a supporter of bringing Ukrainian and Israeli societies closer through education, culture, and humanitarian initiatives.

Fund “If Not Now Then When” and connection with Israel

The fund If Not Now Then When was created before the film’s release as a humanitarian and cultural platform to help Ukraine.
It implements programs in the fields of medicine, psychological rehabilitation, and veteran support.

Main areas of work:

• Providing hospitals and military units with first aid kits, equipment, and transport;
• Assistance in rehabilitating servicemen with amputations;
• Cooperation with Israeli organizations, adopting experience in working with veterans;
• Cultural initiatives aimed at strengthening humanistic values.

One of the fund’s projects was supporting the Ukrainian premiere of the film “Golda”, dedicated to Golda Meir, a native of Kyiv and Prime Minister of Israel.
The screening was held in conjunction with the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the Babi Yar Memorial Center, symbolizing the cultural unification of the two countries.

The source of inspiration for the fund was precisely Israel. Gazin emphasizes that the Israeli system of social integration of veterans is one of the best in the world:
society perceives wounded soldiers not as disabled but as people deserving respect and support.

The fund If Not Now Then When applies this approach in Ukraine, implementing projects that combine Israeli experience in medical and psychological rehabilitation with Ukrainian volunteer self-organization practices.

“Every person has the right to their second wind. The question is who will be there when they seek it,” said Gennady Gazin, explaining the project’s philosophy.

Conclusion

The film “Second Wind” became part of a larger process — a social and humanitarian movement inspired by Israel’s experience and implemented in Ukraine.
It combines personal history, professional cinema, and real aid programs supported by Gennady Gazin’s fund.

This is not just a film about veterans — it is proof that culture, charity, and international cooperation can restore meaning and self-belief to people.

Main sources of material

• Review of the film “Second Wind” — UP.Culture
  
• Review of the film “Second Wind” — UNIAN
  
• Veteran with a prosthetic raises a million for the army — RBC Ukraine
  
• Film “Second Wind” — Cinema.in.ua
  
• Official website of the fund “If Not Now Then When”
  
• Genesis Philanthropy Group — official website
  

Influential American supporter of Donald Trump and supporter of Israel, Laura Loomer, during a July trip to Ukraine, learned previously unknown details about the history of her Jewish family. Ukrainian archivists found information about her great-grandfather Pinkus Loomer, who was born in Vinnytsia on February 10, 1895, and later moved with relatives to Kyiv.

Loomer openly speaks about her Jewish heritage and has positioned herself as a consistent supporter of Israel for many years, paying special attention to combating anti-Semitism, the threat from Iran, and the security of the Jewish state. In 2026, she also opposed the strengthening of anti-Israel sentiments within the American conservative movement and criticized those MAGA representatives who questioned the US alliance with Israel.

Loomer received copies of archival documents during an interview with Ukrainian TV host Marichka Padalko. The conversation was published on July 24, 2026, as part of the “Marichka” project. Already on July 25, the story gained wide coverage in Ukrainian and international media.

The archival discovery turned out to be especially symbolic, as it occurred at a time of a sharp change in Loomer’s public position. Previously, she criticized American support for Ukraine and repeated Kremlin-spread claims, but after a personal trip, air raid alarms, meetings with Ukrainians, and visits to sites destroyed by Russian strikes, she acknowledged that her previous views were shaped by disinformation.

What Laura Loomer knew about her family

Before the trip, Loomer only knew that her family had Jewish roots and that her paternal ancestors emigrated to the United States from Kyiv. According to her, the family preserved several old photographs, and among the names of ancestors, Pinkus and Annie were mentioned.

“I am Jewish. And, according to my father, his grandfather and grandmother emigrated from Kyiv. That’s all I knew. I never saw my grandparents. My grandmother died before I was born, and my grandfather when I was only a year old or less. I only know that we have a few of their photographs, that their names were Pinkus and Annie, and that they were from Kyiv,” said Laura Loomer.

During the interview, Loomer said she had almost no other information. The information about the family’s origin was passed on to her by her father, but she had no detailed documents or extensive family history.

Ukrainian journalists and archivists managed to go further. The materials found showed that the Loomer family was connected not only with Kyiv but also with Vinnytsia.

TSN channel with the help of archive staff discovered information about Laura Loomer’s great-grandfather in Ukrainian archives. It turned out he was born in Vinnytsia on February 10, 1895. Later the whole family moved to Kyiv.

“It says here that the Loomer family is from Vinnytsia, modern Ukraine. Historical documents indicate that in 1875 they were officially enrolled in the bourgeois class,” read Laura Loomer.

In addition, the influencer was given copies of documents about her family stored in Ukrainian archives. She noted that she knew almost nothing about her family’s history but was very eager to learn about it.

“I would never have known all this if I hadn’t stopped believing Russian propaganda,” she said.

Laura Loomer was shocked by what she learned about her family’s origins. She also thanked the archive staff who helped find information about her family’s origins.

Date	Established fact
1875	Representatives of the Loomer family were officially enrolled in the bourgeois class
February 10, 1895	Pinkus Loomer was born in Vinnytsia
Later	The family moved from Vinnytsia to Kyiv
Subsequently	Representatives of the family emigrated from Kyiv to the USA
July 24, 2026	Laura Loomer was given copies of documents found in Ukraine

TSN directly names Pinkus Loomer as the great-grandfather of the American blogger. The date 1875, accordingly, does not refer to Pinkus himself, who was born twenty years later, but to an earlier generation of the family.

Upon receiving the documents, Loomer stated: “I would never have known all this if I hadn’t stopped believing Russian propaganda.” She thanked the archive staff and admitted that the news about her family’s origins was a strong emotional shock for her.

Can Loomer be called “half-Ukrainian”

Some headlines claimed that Laura Loomer was allegedly “half-Ukrainian.” However, the available documents allow us to confidently speak only about the Ukrainian roots of one branch of her family.

The exact share of origin in the published materials is not established. Therefore, it is more correct to write that Loomer has Ukrainian Jewish roots on her father’s side, and her great-grandfather was born in Vinnytsia and later lived in Kyiv.

There is also some confusion with the indication of the degree of kinship. In one part of the interview, it is said that Loomer’s father told her about his grandparents who emigrated from Kyiv. In this case, for Laura herself, they are great-grandparents. In another part of the retelling, the word “grandfather” is used. The most reliable guide remains the archival part of the TSN material, where Pinkus Loomer is directly named her great-grandfather.

The trip that changed Loomer’s position

Laura Loomer is known as one of the most prominent figures in the American conservative media environment and a consistent supporter of Donald Trump. Her social media audience approaches two million followers, and her publications regularly become part of discussions within the MAGA movement.

Previously, Loomer downplayed the consequences of the Russian invasion for years, opposed support for Ukraine, and repeated the thesis of alleged widespread Nazism in the country. This thesis is used by the Kremlin to justify the full-scale Russian aggression that began in February 2022.

Everything changed after the blogger decided to personally visit Ukraine. During her first air raid experience, she wrote that she had previously spoken about what was happening without proper empathy, but now considers “moral clarity” necessary.

For NAnews — Israel News, this part of the story has special significance. Loomer’s turnaround occurred not only after getting acquainted with the destruction but also after communicating with the Jewish community of Ukraine. Her personal family history additionally showed how closely intertwined the fates of American and Israeli Jews are with Ukrainian cities, which are being destroyed today by Russian strikes.

Meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky

On July 23, 2026, Laura Loomer met in Kyiv with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, and recorded an interview for her program Loomer Unleashed. Among the topics of conversation were Zelensky’s relations with Donald Trump, a tense meeting in the Oval Office, and a subsequent conversation between the two presidents in the Vatican in April 2025.

Zelensky stated that a short conversation with Trump in the Vatican became a turning point and allowed the nature of relations between them to change in approximately 15–20 minutes. After the publication of the interview fragment, Donald Trump positively assessed the conversation on his social network.

At the same time, Loomer’s visit was not pre-organized by Ukrainian state structures. Presidential representative Dmytro Litvin told the Associated Press that the President’s Office initially learned about her stay in the country from social media.

On July 24, Zelensky separately mentioned Loomer in his evening address. The President of Ukraine called her a person very close to Trump and noted that during the trip she saw Kyiv, the Lavra, Ukrainians, and what the country is going through in the face of ongoing aggression.

Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and the strike on the Assumption Cathedral

One of the central points of the trip was a visit to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. On July 23, Loomer met with the First Deputy Head of the President’s Office, Serhiy Kyslytsia, after which they went together to the Assumption Cathedral.

On the night of June 15, 2026, during a massive Russian strike, a drone hit the cathedral, causing a fire. Loomer inspected the aftermath of the attack and sharply criticized the Kremlin’s attempts to simultaneously present Russia as a defender of Christianity and strike one of Ukraine’s main Orthodox shrines.

She drew attention to the damage to the building and images of Jesus Christ, questioning how a state can claim to protect the Christian faith while attacking an ancient monastic complex with strike drones.

Conversation with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman

During her stay in Kyiv, Loomer also visited the Central Synagogue of Ukraine and met with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Asman.

Moshe Asman told her about daily Russian shelling, dead children and civilians, destroyed cities and villages, and the life of the Jewish community in a warring country. He emphasized that many of Loomer’s previous perceptions of Ukraine were shaped by Russian information campaigns.

After the meeting, the American blogger publicly rejected claims that Ukrainian Jews were allegedly hostages of a “Nazi regime.” She pointed to the active life of Jewish communities and the fact that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is himself Jewish.

For NAnews — Israel News, it is important to note that Loomer’s story became an example of how direct acquaintance with Jewish life in Ukraine destroys one of the central constructs of Russian propaganda. Moscow has been trying for years to simultaneously use the theme of World War II and hide the consequences of its own strikes on Ukrainian cities, synagogues, churches, memorials, and mass burial sites.

Laura Loomer and Israel: Jewish identity and a tough stance on Iran

Israel occupies an important place in Laura Loomer’s public activities. She was born into a Jewish family, openly speaks about her heritage, and presents herself as a defender of Israel and Jewish communities in the United States. It is through this prism that she often views US foreign policy, the situation in the Middle East, and the struggle within the American conservative movement.

Loomer consistently supports Israel’s right to defense and advocates for maintaining a close alliance between Washington and Jerusalem. In the spring of 2026, she claimed to have warned Donald Trump about the possible weakening of support for Israel among future American presidents. According to her, Trump may be the last openly pro-Israel US president, although the White House did not confirm the content of this conversation.

A separate direction of her activity has been the fight against the spread of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiments within the MAGA movement. In February 2026, Loomer sharply opposed further political rapprochement between Trump’s entourage and Tucker Carlson. The reason was his statements about Israel, criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and appearances on platforms associated with Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, Loomer’s position is not limited to ordinary support for Israel. She adheres to an extremely tough approach to the Islamic Republic of Iran, rejects concessions to Tehran, and opposes agreements that, in her opinion, could leave the Iranian regime with the ability to threaten Israel and the United States.

In July 2026, Loomer caused sharp criticism after publicly calling on Israel to strike participants at the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Her statement was perceived as a proposal to attack a mass event, thus causing accusations of incitement to violence. This episode shows that Loomer’s pro-Israel position is often accompanied by extremely radical rhetoric, which cannot be equated with Israel’s official policy.

Russia’s connection with Iran became one of the factors that influenced her change in attitude towards Ukraine. After the trip, Loomer began to view Russian aggression not as an isolated European issue but as part of a broader system of cooperation between Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing. She stated that this alliance poses a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the US and Israel.

That is why her meeting with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Asman, had not only a Ukrainian but also an Israeli dimension for her. Loomer came to a country she previously perceived through Russian claims of Nazism but saw an active Jewish community, a Jewish president, and religious leaders openly supporting Ukraine’s defense.

For NAnews — Israel News, it is important to separate several circumstances in this story. Loomer is indeed a notable pro-Israel voice within MAGA and opposes anti-Semitism and the Iranian threat. At the same time, her political activity has repeatedly been accompanied by controversial statements, conspiracy theories, and radical formulations that cause criticism, including in the American Jewish community.

The family documents discovered in Ukraine gave her position an additional personal dimension. Loomer’s story now connects American politics, Israel, and Ukrainian Jewish communities through the fate of one family that began in Vinnytsia and Kyiv.

Why Loomer’s change of position matters

Laura Loomer does not hold an official diplomatic position, but she has significant influence over part of the conservative audience in the US and maintains direct contacts with people from Donald Trump’s entourage. Therefore, her public renunciation of Russian theses may have consequences far beyond her personal story.

For many years, criticism of Ukraine within the MAGA movement was built on the repetition of several theses: Ukraine is allegedly completely corrupt, aid to it does not serve US interests, and the Russian invasion is a reaction to Western actions. Loomer previously participated in spreading such views.

After the trip, she began to speak about Russian disinformation, the need to pressure Moscow, and Russia’s connection with the Iranian regime. Loomer supported strengthening sanctions and stated that the Russian economy must be made to pay for continuing aggression.

Her turnaround does not automatically mean a change in the position of the entire MAGA movement. There are still serious disagreements in the American conservative camp regarding military aid to Ukraine and the US role in European security. However, the public acknowledgment of a mistake by someone who previously actively repeated Russian theses has become a notable precedent.

Personal history against the backdrop of big politics

The story of Laura Loomer’s ancestors combined several plots at once: Jewish life in Vinnytsia at the end of the 19th century, the family’s move to Kyiv, emigration to the United States, and modern Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Before arriving in Kyiv, Loomer perceived Ukraine mainly through political disputes and social media publications. During the trip, she experienced an air raid, saw the consequences of Russian strikes, visited a damaged Orthodox shrine, talked with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman, met with Volodymyr Zelensky, and received documents about her own family.

That is why the found archival record became not just a genealogical detail. The great-grandfather of the influential American Trump supporter was born on February 10, 1895, in Vinnytsia, his family was part of the local Jewish community, then moved to Kyiv and emigrated to the USA. More than a century later, his great-granddaughter returned to Ukraine and admitted that she had been looking at her ancestors’ homeland through the prism of Russian propaganda for too long.

This does not prove that Laura Loomer is “half-Ukrainian.” But the documents confirm the main thing: part of her Jewish family’s history begins in Ukrainian Vinnytsia and Kyiv — cities that continue to live and defend themselves today from Russian terrorist strikes.

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✨ First visit – only 268 shekels.
✨ Bring a friend, and you both get a gift!

In Haifa, there are clinics that sell the “effect,” and there are clinics that sell a plan. Sol Clinics is closer to the latter: the center has been operating since 2016, located in the Check-Post area, and emphasizes understanding the skin condition first before choosing procedures. Not “the trendiest,” but what won’t break the barrier and won’t add problems on top.

This is especially important in Israel. Here, even in winter, the skin lives in contrasts: sun and wind, dry indoor air, stress, lack of sleep. Therefore, the complaint “dull color” often goes along with “inflammations,” and “wrinkles” with “dehydration” and sensitivity. In such conditions, cosmetology becomes not a showcase but a tool: to bring the skin to a working state and maintain the result.

Details about the clinic and appointments:
https://cosmetology.nikk.co.il/

Where the clinic is located and why the location really affects the result

Sol Clinics is located at the entrance to Haifa, near Check-Post, at שד׳ ההסתדרות 44 (Histadrut 44), landmark — opposite מרכזית המפרץ. For the city, this is practical: it’s convenient to get here not only from Haifa but also from Krayot, Nesher, part of Carmel.

A separate plus — not “beautiful,” but useful: the clinic has free parking, and the entrance is organized so that you can enter without stairs, directly from the parking lot. This sounds trivial until a person realizes that the course is several visits, and each time they choose whether to go at all.

The working hours of clinics of this type usually extend into the evening. Here, work is declared until 19:00, and the last “after-work” slot is often set around 17:30–17:45. Appointments are available through the website and usually duplicated by quick communication channels (phone/WhatsApp) because it’s easier for people.

What skin and body problems are most often addressed here

Sol Clinics formulates tasks broadly, but essentially they fall into several groups. The center works with aesthetic and skin conditions where not one procedure is important, but the correct sequence.

Age-related changes and skin quality

Loss of elasticity, “soft” oval, flabbiness, fine wrinkles, tired tone. This is the category where people often say: “I don’t need a different face, I need mine to look more alive.”

Pigmentation and uneven tone

Spots after sun exposure, “mottling,” consequences of inflammations (post-inflammatory pigmentation), age-related tone changes.

Acne and post-acne

Inflammations, comedones, enlarged pores, traces after breakouts, sometimes scars. In Israel, adult acne is not uncommon, especially against the background of stress and climate.

Sensitive skin and “complex” conditions

Rosacea, seborrhea, atopic dermatitis, couperose, irritated skin. In such cases, any aggression can cause a setback, and that’s why diagnosis and a gentle pace are important.

Body: cellulite, tone, lymphatic drainage

Skin unevenness, cellulite, swelling, a request for a more even texture and a feeling of “lightness,” especially for those who sit a lot or are often on the road.

Why they start with diagnostics here, not with “choose a procedure from the menu”

This is the point that distinguishes normal practice from “just a salon.” In the clinic’s materials, it is emphasized: without diagnostics, the skin is not touched.

The diagnostic device in their description evaluates two indicators that really determine the fate of the protocol:

Phototype and melanin level

This affects how the skin can react to methods related to energy/light and helps reduce the risk of unwanted spots after procedures.

Inflammation level (including hidden)

If inflammation is high, the clinic does not rush with what can further irritate the skin: active peels, microneedling, fractional methods. First — recovery and stabilization, then — renewal.

From the outside, it looks like “they don’t sell us everything at once.” For the client, this is usually a good sign.

What procedures are available and how to logically choose them

On the clinic’s website, three of the most popular procedures of the season are highlighted: peeling, cryolifting, RF-lifting. These names are most often asked about. But more importantly — to understand what task they are suitable for.

Peeling

It is usually chosen when the skin has become dull, uneven, “rough,” and post-acne marks and pigmentation are more pronounced. Peeling is not about “scraping off the skin,” but about controlled surface renewal. That’s why clear diagnostics before peeling is not a whim: one skin tolerates it easily, another reacts with irritation.

Cryolifting

The procedure is usually taken under the request “I want to look more collected.” Cold protocols are often perceived as a gentle way to get a fresher look, reduce puffiness, and return a “clear” contour to the face without the feeling of aggression.

RF-lifting

RF is most often chosen when it comes to skin tone and density: oval, lower third of the face, overall firmness. In the clinic’s materials, this method is described as comfortable in sensations (the working area is heated to a controlled temperature) and suitable for those who want to “tighten” without surgery.

But the list doesn’t end there

The clinic’s description also includes other directions:

• Combined cleanings and care protocols when the skin needs to be “cleaned and normalized” without trauma.
• Mesostrip and multi-stage care aimed at skin quality, tone, recovery.
• Microneedling — as a tool for texture and renewal, considering that the skin after the procedure can be sensitive and needs proper support.
• Fractional directions (including fractional RF) — they are usually used when the goal is not “quick refresh,” but to work deeper with density, relief, and traces. At the same time, the clinic does not hide: some fractional methods may feel stronger than standard care procedures.
• IPL directions for acne/post-acne and pigmentation tasks — where it is important to work with redness, spots, and the overall skin background.

It is separately noted that the clinic uses a range of equipment (15 devices are mentioned), and preparations are selected according to the technique — without attempts to “replace with something cheaper,” so as not to break the protocol.

How the course is built and what is promised in terms of results

The clinic quite directly formulates expectations: a noticeable effect is possible after the first visit, but a stable result often requires a course — usually a range of 6–10 procedures (depending on the task).

There is another point that is usually important to people but rarely voiced: course adjustment along the way. In Sol Clinics’ materials, it is stated that in the middle of the program, the result is evaluated together with the client, and if the dynamics are weaker than expected, the protocol can be changed or strengthened without additional payment. This is not a “guarantee of a miracle,” but it is the logic of medical support: to look at the reaction, not to sell a standard package as unchangeable.

The clinic also talks about home care as part of the result: the description mentions the selection of care from professional lines (sets from several leading brands are mentioned), because without home support, the effect of the procedures often lives less.

Can face and body be done in one day

The clinic’s materials specifically state that if time allows and according to the schedule, face and body procedures can be combined in one day. For people who do not live in the center of Haifa or come from Krayot, this is really convenient: fewer trips, a higher chance to complete the course.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where to start if you’ve never done cosmetology in Israel?

Start with a consultation and diagnostics. This is the calmest way to understand what exactly your skin “hurts”: dehydration, inflammation, pigmentation, loss of tone, or all together. Sol Clinics emphasizes that without diagnostics, the skin is not touched: they look at phototype/melanin and inflammation level, and only then offer a plan — without guessing “by procedure name.”

What to bring to the first consultation?

Nothing complicated. If you have — bring a list of cosmetics you use at home, and remember if there were reactions to procedures/creams. It’s also important to say if there is a tendency to herpes, frequent irritations, allergies, pregnancy/breastfeeding, what medications you are currently taking. This saves time and helps not to prescribe what definitely doesn’t suit you.

Do I need to come without makeup?

Preferably, but not always necessary. If you come with makeup, the clinic usually still cleanses the skin before examination. But if possible — come “clean,” it’s easier to immediately see the skin condition: redness, peeling, inflammations, dehydration.

If the skin is sensitive, does that mean nothing can be done?

Not necessarily. “Sensitive skin” is not a prohibition, it’s a regime. It means the pace will be more cautious, and the order of procedures different: first, barrier restoration and irritation reduction, then — renewal and more active methods. If diagnostics show a high level of inflammation, aggressive techniques (peels, microneedling, fractional methods) are usually postponed to avoid worsening.

Can procedures be done if there is rosacea/couperose/dermatitis?

Sometimes yes, but not everything and not immediately. In such conditions, it’s important not to “chase” the skin with force. Softer protocols are often chosen, and active methods are only set when the skin is stable. This is discussed separately during the consultation because skin reactivity varies for everyone.

How to understand which procedure I need: peeling, cryolifting, or RF-lifting?

It depends on the leading problem.

If the main complaint is dull tone, uneven texture, marks/spots, “roughness” — they often start with gentle renewal (peeling), but only after assessing skin sensitivity.

If you want “compactness” and a fresh look, less puffiness and tired face — cryolifting is often chosen.

If the main topic is firmness and contour (oval, lower third of the face, flabbiness) — RF-lifting is usually considered as the basic “framework” procedure.

But the decision is still made after examination because the same complaint in different people can have different causes.

Is adult acne treated the same as teenage acne?

Often not. Adult acne can be related to stress, hormonal background, care, skin sensitivity, disrupted barrier. Therefore, it’s important to first assess inflammation and not take steps that can increase irritation. Sol Clinics specifically highlights hardware directions for acne/post-acne and usually builds the course to simultaneously reduce active inflammations and carefully work with traces.

Post-acne: what can really be improved?

Post-acne usually has three layers: marks/spots, relief, enlarged pores. Improvements are almost always possible, but the speed depends on the depth of the problem and skin reaction. It’s important not to expect “minus 10 years at once,” but to follow the course: first stabilization, then tone leveling, then working with texture and skin density.

Pigmentation: how many procedures are needed and how quickly is the effect visible?

With pigmentation, it’s always more honest to say: “it depends.” There are spots that go away quickly, and there are those that require a course and discipline with home care. The speed is influenced by: type of pigmentation (sun, post-inflammatory, hormonal), phototype, season, and how well a person follows care and skin protection recommendations.

How long does one visit take?

Depends on the procedure and plan. Care and cleanings usually take longer (often 60–90 minutes), hardware procedures can be shorter. The exact time will be told when booking, when clarifying what exactly you want to solve first.

How long does the course take?

The course depends on the task and frequency of visits. The clinic’s materials mention a guideline: a stable effect often requires 6–10 procedures. But this is a range, not a “mandatory norm.” Sometimes fewer procedures plus support are enough, and sometimes a longer plan is needed — especially for post-acne and pronounced pigmentation.

When will I see the first changes?

Many notice changes after the first visit: the skin may look fresher, “more even,” less puffiness, better tone. But a stable result usually accumulates over the course. This is normal: the skin does not restructure in one day, especially if the problem has been forming for years.

Can face and body procedures be combined in one day?

Sometimes yes — it depends on the schedule and what procedures are planned. The clinic’s materials state that combining is possible if time and “slots” are available. This is often convenient for those who come from outside the center of Haifa and want to reduce the number of trips.

Is it painful?

Most procedures are described as comfortable and without long rehabilitation. But there are methods that may feel stronger (for example, some fractional technologies). During the consultation, they usually explain in advance what to expect in terms of sensations and adjust the intensity to the person, not “to the maximum.”

Will there be rehabilitation: redness, peeling, “can’t go outside”?

Depends on the method. Soft care procedures usually do not give noticeable rehabilitation. After some techniques, there may be temporary redness or sensitivity. Importantly, with high inflammation, the clinic usually does not set aggressive procedures first to reduce the risk of unpleasant reactions.

Can procedures be done in the summer?

Some can, some — with restrictions. The Israeli sun makes seasonality important, especially in matters of pigmentation and active skin renewal. Therefore, the plan is often built so that in summer, more gentle and supportive steps are taken, and active ones are moved to a calmer season.

What home care is needed after procedures?

Usually without fanaticism. Often basic things are enough: gentle cleansing, hydration/barrier restoration, skin protection, and targeted products for your task. Sol Clinics emphasizes that home care is part of the result, not an “addition.”

If I already have cosmetics at home — will I be forced to change everything?

Usually, there is no point in “burning bridges.” They often look at compositions, compatibility with procedures, and skin reaction. Sometimes it’s enough to replace 1–2 items, and leave the rest. The main goal is for the care not to conflict with the course.

Is there a “guarantee of results”?

The clinic’s materials describe the approach: in the middle of the course, the dynamics are evaluated together with the client, and if necessary, the protocol is adjusted without additional payment. This is not a promise of a miracle “for everyone and always,” but it is an understandable model of support: to look at progress and change tactics if the skin reacts differently.

How often should maintenance procedures be done after the course?

The frequency of support depends on age, skin type, and what the main problem was. Usually, after completing the course, maintenance visits are done less often — for example, once every few weeks or once a month. It’s better to discuss specifics based on the result and skin reaction.

How to book and what to say when booking to be properly directed?

The simplest is to briefly describe the main goal: “pigmentation,” “acne/post-acne,” “oval/flabbiness,” “dull skin,” “cellulite/swelling.” If you say this right away, the administrator can offer the correct format for the first visit and approximate time.

Details about the clinic and appointments:
https://cosmetology.nikk.co.il/

Sol Clinics in Haifa looks like an example of practical urban cosmetology: a convenient location at Check-Post, emphasis on diagnostics, course, and support, rather than loud promises. For readers of NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, this is a case where “where it is located” and “how the course is conducted” are more important than the names of procedures on the showcase.

Ukraine is not just holding back Russian aggression, but is changing the balance of power in the confrontation of democratic countries with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. However, Kyiv’s success still needs to be turned into a political and military victory — and this is where the West continues to hesitate.

The American publication The Hill published a column on July 23, 2026, with a provocative but far from unfounded conclusion: Ukraine may already be winning World War III for the West, which has not yet realized that it has begun.

The authors of the material are national security experts Mark Toth and Jonathan Sweet. The latter served for 30 years in the US Army military intelligence and headed the US European Command’s intelligence interaction unit from 2012 to 2014. Mark Toth specializes in foreign policy, military strategy, and national security. Their publication is an author’s column, not the official position of the US government or an editorial statement by The Hill.

The main idea of the authors is that what is happening in Ukraine has long ceased to be a local European war. Russian aggression has become the central open front of a much broader confrontation, in which Moscow receives help from China, Iran, and North Korea, while the opponents of this coalition are Western democracies and their partners.

World War III has already begun — but it looks different

Toth and Sweet wrote back in July 2022 that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine became part of a global clash between the democratic world and a new authoritarian bloc.

However, this is not World War III in the classical sense — with an official declaration of war, stable fronts between great powers, and direct battles between the armies of the US, Russia, or China.

The modern global confrontation is conducted simultaneously by several methods:

• conventional weapons and drones;
• cyberattacks and sabotage;
• economic pressure;
• arms supplies through intermediary states;
• information operations;
• use of dependent armed groups;
• struggle for technology, sea routes, and energy resources.

That is why Western capitals often perceive Russian aggression against Ukraine, Chinese pressure on Taiwan, Iran’s nuclear and missile program, North Korea’s actions, and wars in the Middle East as separate crises.

The authors of The Hill suggest looking at them as interconnected elements of the struggle for a new world order.

Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are indeed acting together

Cooperation between these states can no longer be called merely diplomatic.

NATO officially states that North Korea directly supports Russia with military personnel, weapons, and ammunition. Iran helps Moscow with drones and missiles. The alliance also points to the deepening strategic partnership between Russia and China, as well as the expansion of defense-industrial cooperation between Moscow, Iran, and North Korea.

At the same time, the forms of participation vary.

North Korea provides Russia with ammunition, weapons, and manpower. Iran has transferred strike drone technologies and supports Moscow with weapons. China has not openly entered the war but provides the Russian economy with a market, supplies dual-use goods and components, and helps Russia mitigate the effects of Western sanctions.

This is not yet a formal military alliance like NATO. However, the West is already facing a united system of states that help each other resist sanctions, maintain military production, and stretch US and European resources across multiple regions.

Why the authors say Ukraine is winning

It’s not about Russian troops already being expelled from Ukrainian territory.

Russia still occupies about 20% of Ukraine, including Crimea and areas of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. Russian missiles and drones continue to attack Ukrainian cities, energy infrastructure, and civilians daily.

But the strategic goals with which Putin launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022 have not been achieved.

Moscow failed to:

• capture Kyiv;
• destroy the Ukrainian state;
• change the legitimate government;
• subjugate the entire country;
• eliminate the Ukrainian army;
• impose a Russian foreign policy orientation on Ukraine;
• split NATO.

Instead, Ukraine maintained statehood, gained candidate status for EU membership, deeply integrated into the Western security system, and created one of the most technologically advanced armies in the world.

Even after several years of Russian offensives, territorial changes remain incomparable to the losses incurred. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, in 2025, Russia captured approximately 5,000 square kilometers, or less than 1% of Ukraine’s territory.

In July 2026, former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that since the beginning of the year, Ukrainian forces had reclaimed about 700 square kilometers. Data from independent analytical projects also show that recent Russian advances were measured in tens of square kilometers, not large-scale operational breakthroughs.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that in the first half of 2026, the loss ratio could have been nearly eight Russian servicemen to one Ukrainian. This is an analytical assessment that cannot be fully verified in wartime conditions, but it shows the scale of the price Moscow pays for extremely limited territorial results.

Ukrainian strikes have moved the war into the Russian rear

One of the main signs of the changing situation was the Ukrainian campaign of long-range strikes.

In the early years of the full-scale war, Ukraine primarily defended its own territory and depended on partners’ decisions that limited the use of transferred weapons against targets inside Russia.

By 2026, Kyiv had created its own long-range drone systems capable of striking Russian oil refineries, military airfields, ammunition depots, ports, railway hubs, and defense industry enterprises thousands of kilometers from Ukraine.

On July 6, 2026, Ukrainian drones attacked the Omsk oil refinery — the largest in Russia. The enterprise is located approximately 2,700 kilometers from territory controlled by Ukraine and can process about 460,000 barrels of oil per day.

After the strike, the plant halted processing, exacerbating the fuel shortage within Russia. Moscow was also forced to limit diesel fuel exports.

Long-range strikes solve several tasks at once.

They reduce Russia’s energy revenues, disrupt army fuel supplies, force Moscow to redeploy scarce air defense resources deep into the rear, and demonstrate to Russian society that the war started by Putin is no longer confined to Ukraine’s territory.

In July, Kyiv also formed a separate command for long-range strikes, responsible for systematic operations against Russian energy, military industry, and logistics.

Ukraine is depriving Russia of its advantage in the Black Sea

Equally important changes are occurring at sea.

Ukraine practically did not have a large military fleet capable of competing with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. However, the use of maritime and aerial drones allowed the destruction of ships, attacks on port infrastructure, and pushing Russian forces away from the Ukrainian coast.

By July 2026, Ukrainian units began a large-scale operation to disrupt maritime supply to occupied Crimea.

Units of the Unmanned Systems Forces reported hitting more than 180 maritime objects in three weeks, including cargo ships, port cranes, ferries, and energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian strategy aims to gradually isolate Crimea from Russian transport routes through the Azov and Black Seas.

This fundamentally changes the perception of modern warfare.

A state without a traditional large fleet can, with relatively inexpensive drones, limit the actions of a naval force that has been considered dominant in the region for decades.

The West is already buying Ukrainian military experience

Ukraine is gradually transforming from a recipient of aid into a supplier of technology and combat experience.

In July 2026, Kyiv allowed six Ukrainian companies to export about 100 drones each to the US to participate in the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance program.

The first stage of the American competition was already won by a device jointly created by the Ukrainian company Skyfall and the British Skycutter. The program’s goal is to test small strike drones in conditions as close as possible to the real battlefield.

This is an important change.

In 2022, Western countries taught Ukrainian servicemen to use artillery, armored vehicles, and air defense systems. In 2026, NATO and American military are studying Ukrainian methods of drone production, data transmission, electronic warfare, and rapid technology implementation.

A Reuters commentary directly notes that Ukraine has become the world’s largest producer of military drones by quantity and can help NATO adapt extremely slow procurement systems to the pace of modern warfare.

At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, allies officially recognized that Ukraine contributes to transatlantic security. Alliance countries promised to provide Kyiv with military aid, equipment, and training worth about 70 billion euros in 2026 and to maintain a comparable level of support in 2027.

Russian influence is weakening beyond Ukraine

Toth and Sweet believe that Russia’s losses are already affecting its capabilities in other regions.

After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Moscow began discussing with the new Syrian authorities the change in the format of its bases in Tartus and Khmeimim. Russian representatives allow for the retention of only a reduced military presence.

In Africa, the situation has also become less favorable for Moscow. In April 2026, the Russian Ministry of Defense-controlled ‘African Corps’ confirmed the withdrawal of its units from Kidal in northern Mali after heavy fighting.

Subsequent attacks by armed groups demonstrated the inability of Moscow-supported authorities to guarantee security even in strategically important areas. This dealt a blow to Russia’s reputation as an alternative ‘security provider’ for African military regimes.

But it is too early to talk about a complete withdrawal of Russia from the Middle East or Africa.

Moscow retains bases, supplies oil to Syria, supports the governments of Sahel countries, and continues to seek access to natural resources. It is more accurate to speak not of the disappearance of Russian influence, but of the increase in its cost and the reduction of opportunities to simultaneously maintain positions in several regions.

China and Taiwan are closely studying Ukraine

Ukrainian experience also affects the situation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Taiwan is developing maritime drones, territorial defense systems, reservist training, and decentralized infrastructure, taking into account Ukraine’s actions against a significantly larger Russian army.

Taiwanese developers view maritime drones as a relatively inexpensive means against Chinese landing ships and naval blockades. Chinese military analysts, on their part, study Russia’s difficulties and try to understand how to avoid a protracted war, logistical destruction, and international isolation.

It would be premature to claim that Ukraine has already forced Beijing to abandon a possible operation against Taiwan.

However, the cost of a potential invasion has become significantly clearer. Ukraine has shown that even a smaller country can thwart the plans of a more powerful state if it has a motivated society, a developed technological industry, and partner support.

Why what is happening concerns Israel

For the Israeli audience, the main conclusion is that the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East cannot be considered in complete isolation from each other.

Iranian drone technologies that Russia uses to strike Ukrainian cities were created in the same military system that threatens Israel. Russia, Iran, and North Korea exchange weapons, technologies, and experience in circumventing sanctions. China provides them with economic and diplomatic space.

On the pages of NANews — News of Israel, we have repeatedly noted that tolerance for Russian aggression strengthens not only Moscow. It increases Iran’s resilience, facilitates the development of its military industry, and creates an international environment where the use of force increasingly brings political dividends.

The authors of The Hill mention the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, as one of the events of the global confrontation that the West continued to view separately from Russia’s war against Ukraine.

At the same time, it is necessary to distinguish between confirmed facts and political assessment. There is no public evidence of a single command center managing Russian aggression, Iran’s actions, North Korea, China, and the Hamas attack simultaneously.

The point is different: each new crisis distracts attention, weapons, and financial resources of Western countries, facilitating the actions of other participants in the authoritarian bloc.

Therefore, Ukraine’s defeat would be a signal not only for Moscow. It would demonstrate to Tehran, Pyongyang, and Beijing that protracted aggression, nuclear blackmail, and reliance on the fatigue of democracies ultimately work.

Where the authors of The Hill may be exaggerating

The wording that Ukraine is already winning World War III is a strong political image, not an established fact.

Ukraine continues to suffer enormous human and economic losses. Millions of citizens remain abroad, a significant part of the territory is occupied, Russian strikes destroy cities and energy, and the Ukrainian army depends on stable supplies of air defense systems, missiles, ammunition, and financial assistance.

Russia has also not exhausted its ability to continue the war. Its economy is on a war footing, the state retains the ability to mobilize people, and China, Iran, and North Korea help compensate for the shortage of certain resources.

Therefore, Ukraine has not yet won the war in the usual military sense.

But it has already achieved a result that seemed almost impossible in February 2022: thwarted the plan to destroy the Ukrainian state, stopped the advance of the largest army in Europe, and turned Russian aggression into a protracted war of attrition, the consequences of which are felt from Siberia to Syria and Mali.

The West has gained an opportunity, but has not yet taken advantage of it

The main appeal of Toth and Sweet is not to Ukraine, but to Washington and Brussels.

Ukraine has already proven that it can resist, create its own weapons, strike at great depth, and change the rules of modern warfare.

Now the West faces a choice.

It can provide Ukraine with enough resources to consolidate success — strengthen air defense, expand joint arms production, completely block the export of Russian energy resources, and deprive Moscow of access to critical technologies.

Or continue to dose assistance, fearing ‘escalation,’ and give Russia time to recover.

As the authors of The Hill emphasize, World War III has not yet been won, but Ukraine has made victory possible for the West.

According to NANews — News of Israel, the key question is no longer whether Ukraine can stop Russia. It has proven this at the cost of enormous sacrifices.

The question is different: can the democratic world realize that Ukrainian soldiers are defending not only their own cities but also the world order, on which the security of Europe, the US, Israel, and other states directly depends.

If the West again tries to buy temporary peace with concessions to the aggressor, the next war may indeed cease to be a metaphor.

The Publishing House of “Dukh i Litera” is one of the oldest Ukrainian publishers of humanitarian literature, founded in 1992 at the Kyiv Mogilyan Academy. It specializes in the release of books on philosophy, sociology, cultural studies, theology and, above all, on Judaic.

For a Jewish audience in Israel, this publishing house is of particular interest, since it unites the traditions of the two peoples and helps to strengthen interethnic ties.

History and Mission of the Publishing House

The publishing house was created in 1992 on the basis of several research centers of the Kyiv Mogilyan Academy. His mission is to make high -quality humanitarian literature accessible to a wide range of readers, to preserve and convey the spiritual and cultural heritage, as well as stimulate a dialogue between Ukrainian and Israeli cultures.

Buying books is available on the publishing house – https://duh-i-litera.com/

The main achievements of the publishing house:

• Over more than 25 years of work, over 1000 items have been released.
• The most complete series of books on Judaic in Ukraine has been formed.
• Active cooperation with the center of Judaic of the Kyiv Mogilyansk Academy has been established.

As the director of the publishing house noted, Konstantin Sigov:

“We are sure that high-quality non-fiction should be available to everyone, and books are able to open new worlds and unite peoples.”

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The main areas of activity

The Publishing House “Dukh i Litera” covers a wide range of humanitarian topics:

• Philosophy and theology:The release of classical works of European thought and Christian theology, contributing to spiritual enlightenment.
• History and culture:The publication of books on the history of the Jewish people, the study of the Holocaust and the analysis of Ukrainian-Jewish relations.
• Judaika:A special series of scientific and artistic works on the study of Jewish culture, religion, traditions and art.

A selection of books on the Judaic of the Publishing House “Dukh i Litera” in Ukrainian – https://duh-i-litera.com/bookstore/mfp/3f-kategoriya.judaka

What is Judaic?
Judaic is an interdisciplinary area of ​​research, covering history, religious studies, philosophy, literature and art of the Jewish people. It helps to understand the spiritual heritage, traditions, rites and intellectual achievements that have formed the identity of the Jewish community for centuries.

• Fiction:The publication of collections of prose and poetry, reflecting both classical and modern views on life, culture and national identity.

Particular attention is paid to Judaic books, since they are a unique contribution to the study and preservation of Jewish cultural heritage in Ukraine.

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Significant projects and publications

The publishing house implements a number of key projects in cooperation with the center of Judaic of the Kyiv Mogilyansk Academy. Among the iconic publications can be distinguished:

• “Tegilim – Psalms” (Tom 1 and 2):Detailed comments on psalms that combine traditional interpretations with modern research.
• “Jewish addresses of Ukraine”:Guide to historical places related to Jewish culture in Ukraine.
• “Black Book”:A collection of materials dedicated to the Holocaust and the history of the Jewish people.
• “Culture by the Yiddish language”:The study of the traditions of Jewish culture through the prism of Yiddish.
• “Prayer for power”:Historical work on revolutionary processes in the relations of Ukrainians and Jews.
• “Jewish civilization. Oxford Judaic Textbook “:A fundamental textbook revealing the basics of Judaic.

 

Impact on intercultural dialogue

The Publishing House “Dukh i Litera” plays a key role in the development of interethnic dialogue. It not only issues books, but also organizes lectures, presentations and discussions, contributing to the meetings of scientists and readers. Such interaction is especially important for the Jewish audience in Israel, since it helps to deepen the understanding of the cultural heritage of Ukraine and helps to strengthen ties between peoples.

In analytical materials NAnews – Israeli News Repeatedly emphasized that cooperation in the field of humanities is a powerful tool for creating cultural bridges between Ukraine and Israel.

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Founders

Konstantin Sigov

Co -founder, director

The philosopher and public figure, director of the Center for European Humanitarian Studies of the National University of the Kiev-Mogilyansk Academy, organizer of the annual international conference “Assumption Readings” and the Kyiv summer theological institute. It has rich experience in leading universities in the world (Sorbonne, Oxford, Stanford, Geneva, Luven, etc.). The author of the course “European culture: conflict of interpretations” in the science. Cavalier of the Order of Academic Palm (France).

Leonid Finberg

Co -founder, editor -in -chief

Sociologist, editor -in -chief of Spirit and Literal, Director of the Center for Research on History and Culture of Eastern European Hebrew Science. He edited a number of books of the publishing house, including “Jewish civilization. Oxford textbook on Judaic ”(in 2 volumes),“ Jews and Slavs ”,“ Maidan. Certificates ”(in 2 volumes) and others. The author of the book “On different and a little about yourself.” The editor-in-chief of the Almanac “Egupets”, a member of the Presidium of the Ukrainian Department of the International Pen-Club, the host of the UKRLIFETV program-“Spirit and Litecture: Dialogs about culture”.

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Basic challenges and recommendations

Despite successes, the following tasks are faced with the publishing house:

• Financing and modernization:It is necessary to attract investments to update publishing infrastructure and implement modern technologies.
• Expansion of the audience:Active promotion of books and cultural projects both in Ukraine and abroad.
• Preservation of cultural heritage:Adaptation of classic texts for a modern reader without loss of original meaning.

We recommend to readers:

• Familiarize yourself with key publications (for example, “Tegilim – Psalms”, “Jewish addresses of Ukraine”).
• Participate in cultural events, lectures and presentations organized by the publishing house.
• Support projects, contributing to the strengthening of the interethnic dialogue between Ukraine and Israel.

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International cooperation and prospects

The prospects of the publishing house are closely related to international cooperation. The expansion of partnerships with leading universities and cultural centers will not only increase the circulation of publications, but also provide access to high -quality humanitarian literature for a wide audience. This is especially true for Israel, where interest in research in Judaic is constantly growing.

Strategic tasks include:

• Innovative development of publishing Using modern digital technologies.
• Active involvement of investments for modernization of production.
• Strengthening cultural ties Through the organization of joint international projects.

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Conclusion

The Publishing House “Dukh i Litera” is a unique cultural project uniting the Ukrainian and Israeli traditions through the prism of literature on Judaic. For more than 25 years, it has been a bridge between peoples, helps to maintain historical memory and develop a dialogue between cultures. High -quality literature is able not only to enlighten, but also to unite peoples, contributing to mutual understanding and cultural exchange.

We, the team NAnews sincerely recommend that you familiarize yourself with the work of the Publishing House “Spirit and Litera”. Support for such initiatives plays a decisive role in strengthening cultural ties between Ukraine and Israel, expanding the horizons of knowledge for all interested.

A selection of books on the Judaic of the Publishing House “Dukh i Litera” in Ukrainian – https://duh-i-litera.com/bookstore/mfp/3f-kategoriya.judaka

32-year-old resident of Havat Gilad, Benyahu Malt, went to rescue a group of Israelis and was killed by shots from a weapon seized by the attacker from a local security service employee. After the third attack in Samaria in less than a day, the IDF sent five additional companies to the region, blocked the village of Tal, and exits from Nablus.

The morning of Friday, July 24, 2026, brought Israel another heavy news from Samaria. Near the Jewish settlement of Havat Gilad and the Palestinian village of Tal, clashes escalated into gunfire. As a result, 32-year-old Benyahu Malt was killed, and two more Israelis were seriously injured.

According to the IDF, one of the Palestinian attackers took a weapon from a Havat Gilad security service representative and opened fire on Israeli citizens. The shooter was eliminated almost immediately, and the weapon was recovered. Palestinian health authorities simultaneously reported the deaths of four Palestinians and injuries to four others. The full sequence of events and the circumstances of each participant’s death are still being established.

Benyahu Malt went to save people

The deceased Benyahu Malt lived in Havat Gilad, was part of the local rapid response team, and was responsible for agricultural work in the settlement.

He is survived by his wife Esther and two daughters aged 12 and 13.

When information about the attack on Israelis near the village of Tal was received, Malt went to the scene to help people in danger and organize their evacuation. During the rescue operation, he received a severe gunshot wound.

Arriving medics performed resuscitation measures, but could not save him. The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, called Malt a devoted family man and a person dedicated to the land of Israel and the security of his settlement.

This was not the first time Benyahu Malt went where people were in danger. Just a few days before his death, he participated in rescue operations during a devastating fire in Havat Gilad.

How the attack unfolded according to the IDF

According to the preliminary Israeli version, a group of Israelis was in the area of the village of Tal, located near Havat Gilad and southwest of Nablus. The army referred to them as “travelers” or participants in a hike.

At the same time, the IDF specifically noted that the group’s exit towards Tal was not pre-coordinated with the military.

Near the village, a clash with local residents began. According to Israeli sources, dozens of people attacked the group. Representatives of the Havat Gilad security service arrived at the scene to provide assistance.

During the clash, one of the Palestinians managed to seize the weapon of a local security officer and opened fire on the Israelis. Benyahu Malt, who arrived to evacuate people, received a fatal wound. Two more Israelis were injured.

The IDF reported that soldiers eliminated the shooter immediately after the attack and recovered the stolen weapon. The military continued to pursue possible accomplices and search for other participants in the clash.

Two wounded were taken to “Ichilov”

Two injured Israelis were evacuated by military helicopters to the “Ichilov” hospital in Tel Aviv.

One of the wounded, about 20 years old, was in critical condition. The second man, approximately 25 years old, was hospitalized in serious condition.

Initial reports from rescue services mentioned a larger number of victims, but confirmed data indicate one dead and at least two Israelis with gunshot wounds.

NANews — Israel News continues to monitor the condition of the wounded. At the time of preparing the material, a detailed medical forecast was not published.

Four dead Palestinians: circumstances are being clarified

The Ministry of Health of the Palestinian Authority stated that during the events near Tal, four Palestinians were killed, and four more were injured. Three of the injured, according to the Palestinian side, were in critical condition.

Israeli Russian-language media report that the deceased were four men from the Ali Ramadan family.

At the same time, the IDF officially described the circumstances of the elimination of only one person — the attacker who seized the weapon and opened fire on the Israelis. How the other three died, whether they were armed, and whether they directly participated in the attack, was not specified in the initial army reports.

The Associated Press also noted that the circumstances of the shooting immediately after the incident remained unclear. The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that the four deceased were killed by Israeli forces.

The Palestinian side presents a different version of the start of the clashes

Representatives of the Palestinian side claim that the events did not start with an attack on travelers, but with the appearance of a group of Israelis near the houses of the village of Tal.

Local Fatah movement representative Issam Saifi told Reuters that approximately 25–30 Israelis allegedly entered the eastern part of the village and tried to break into two houses. According to him, local residents came out to meet them, after which the shooting began.

Saifi also claims that about half an hour later, the Israelis appeared in the western part of the village, and then the military arrived at the scene. These statements have not yet been confirmed by independent investigation results.

The Israeli side, on the contrary, claims that Palestinians attacked the Israelis in the area, and then one of the attackers seized the security officer’s weapon and used it for shooting.

Thus, the sides describe the start of the clash differently. However, the fact of weapon seizure and subsequent shooting at Israeli citizens is confirmed by the IDF. Final conclusions should be made after studying video recordings, testimonies of soldiers, local residents, and participants of the Israeli group.

The IDF sent five additional companies to Samaria

IDF Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir assessed the situation and ordered a significant increase in military presence in Judea and Samaria.

According to Israeli media, five additional companies of soldiers were sent to the region.

The army has been tasked with the following:

• strengthen the protection of Israeli settlements and roads;
• find all participants in the attack;
• prevent new terrorist attacks;
• continue operations in the areas of Beit Furik and Tubas;
• establish checkpoints on possible escape routes of the attackers.

The IDF temporarily blocked the village of Tal and exits from Nablus. The military began checking transport and search activities in the area of the attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting to discuss possible response measures.

The third attack in Samaria in less than a day

The shooting near Havat Gilad was already the third attack in Samaria in about a day.

On July 23 near Elon Moreh, east of Nablus, two Palestinians attacked an Israeli who was extinguishing a field fire. The victim was seriously injured. The attackers were eliminated.

Later that same day, a stabbing attack occurred near the former settlement of Ganim, about five kilometers southeast of Jenin. One Israeli was lightly injured, and the attacker was eliminated.

After these events, the IDF began operations in Beit Furik and Tubas — localities from which, according to the army, participants in previous attacks arrived.

The sequence of three attacks in such a short time creates a difficult situation for Israeli security forces. It is not only about finding individual attackers but also about the risk of a chain reaction, where one terrorist attack becomes an example for the next.

Six days before the terrorist attack, Havat Gilad experienced a devastating fire

The tragedy of July 24 occurred less than a week after a large-scale fire destroyed a significant part of Havat Gilad.

The fire started on Saturday, July 18, 2026. According to updated data from settlement residents, the fire completely destroyed 22 residential houses, and another 13 houses and structures were seriously damaged. The settlement had to be evacuated.

Benyahu Malt participated in saving people and property during this fire.

Two days later, the Judea and Samaria district police concluded that there were sufficient grounds to consider the damage the result of hostile actions. Two suspects were detained. This decision allows the victims to apply for state compensation as victims of hostile action.

For the residents of Havat Gilad, these events combined into one difficult week: first, dozens of families lost their homes, and then the settlement lost a person who helped save others.

Questions that the investigation must answer

In addition to searching for possible accomplices of the shooter, Israeli security forces need to establish:

• why the group of Israelis headed to the village of Tal;
• who organized the outing and why it was not coordinated with the army;
• where the first clash began;
• how many people participated in the attack;
• how the weapon ended up in the shooter’s hands;
• who exactly opened fire at different stages of the clash;
• under what circumstances the other three Palestinians died;
• whether the military or local security service could have prevented the weapon seizure.

Answers are needed not only to restore the full picture of the incident. They should help determine whether there were mistakes in organizing security, information exchange, and responding to the appearance of a group not coordinated with the army in a potentially dangerous area.

Samaria enters a new period of tension

The events near Havat Gilad show how quickly a local clash can turn into a terrorist attack with human casualties.

One of the participants gained access to a security officer’s weapon, opened fire, and killed a person who came to save others. Simultaneously, the clash led to the deaths of four Palestinians, the circumstances of the deaths of three of whom are not yet publicly explained.

The main task of the IDF now remains to prevent new attacks. The reinforcement of Samaria with five companies, the blocking of Tal and Nablus, and the continuation of operations in Beit Furik and Tubas show that the army does not consider the incident an isolated episode but part of a dangerous series of attacks.

NANews — Israel News expresses condolences to the family of Benyahu Malt. He died when he went to help people in danger, leaving behind a wife and two minor daughters.

The investigation of the events near Havat Gilad continues. Data on the condition of the wounded, arrests of possible accomplices, and the exact sequence of the shooting may be supplemented after new official reports.

22 апреля 2026 года Израиль отмечает 78-ю годовщину своей Независимости. Именно на эту дату в 2026 году приходится 5 ияра 5786 по еврейскому календарю — день, который соответствует 5 ияра 5708, когда было провозглашено Государство Израиль. Исторически само провозглашение состоялось 14 мая 1948 года в Тель-Авиве.

Это не просто памятная дата в календаре. Речь идет о событии, которое стало поворотным моментом для еврейского народа после Катастрофы, британского мандата, международных споров о будущем Палестины и уже начавшегося вооруженного противостояния. После завершения Второй мировой войны и уничтожения почти трети еврейской общины Европы инициативы по созданию еврейского государства приобрели особое значение. В этот день было не только провозглашено государство, но и начался новый этап борьбы за суверенитет.

Как Израиль подошел к независимости

После Второй мировой войны вопрос о будущем еврейского населения в подмандатной Палестине уже невозможно было откладывать.

Британия продолжала ограничивать еврейскую репатриацию, несмотря на то что сотни тысяч переживших Холокост нуждались в убежище и новой жизни. Для еврейского ишува это означало, что борьба шла уже не только за политическое признание, но и за физическое и национальное выживание.

Ответом на британские ограничения стало создание «Еврейского движения сопротивления», целью которого была борьба с мандатной властью за открытие путей в Палестину. За четыре года, с 1944 по 1948-й, нелегально и тайно, несмотря на морскую блокаду, в страну было переправлено около 85 тысяч человек. Именно этот фон помогает понять, почему идея независимости воспринималась тогда не как дипломатическая абстракция, а как жизненная необходимость.

Переломным международным моментом стало решение Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН от 29 ноября 1947 года о разделе Палестины на еврейское и арабское государства. Однако это решение не принесло мира. Напротив, оно вызвало протесты со стороны арабских стран, а война между арабами и евреями фактически началась еще до окончания британского мандата и продолжалась вплоть до 14 мая 1948 года.

«С тех пор, как наши предки мечтали о возвращении на Землю Обетованную, эта мечта стала реальностью», — этими словами Давид Бен-Гурион выразил смысл исторического момента, в котором для еврейского народа соединились память, политическая воля и реальное восстановление государственности.

Как принимали Декларацию Независимости

14 мая 1948 года в 16:00 Давид Бен-Гурион открыл церемонию в Тель-Авивском музее и зачитал Декларацию Независимости. Документ был провозглашен в последние часы перед окончанием британского мандата. Время выбрали так, чтобы успеть до Шаббата, а сама церемония прошла быстро и в напряженной обстановке военного времени.

Здание для церемонии выбрали не случайно. Это был бывший дом Меира Дизенгофа на бульваре Ротшильда, где тогда располагался Тель-Авивский музей изобразительных искусств. Предпочтение отдали менее заметному месту, чтобы избежать религиозной или партийной подоплеки и одновременно учитывать риск возможной бомбежки. Приглашения были разосланы утром 14 мая с просьбой хранить событие в секрете.

Подготовка текста шла в последние дни буквально в авральном режиме. Декларацию рассматривали в течение пяти дней, начиная с 9 мая 1948 года. В ее подготовке участвовали Давид Бен-Гурион, Моше Шерток, Цви Беренсон и Пинхас Розен, а окончательная версия была утверждена на заседании Народного совета в 15:00 14 мая — всего за час до начала церемонии.

Во время обсуждения спорили не только о политических формулировках, но и о символическом языке документа.

Обсуждались вопросы границ, название будущего государства и упоминание Бога в заключительной части. Среди предлагавшихся вариантов названия были «Эрец-Исраэль» и «Сион», однако в итоге было принято название «Государство Израиль» — מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, а в заключительной части текста использовали компромиссную формулу «Твердыня Израиля» — צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל, приемлемую и для светских, и для религиозных кругов.

Есть в этой истории и почти кинематографическая деталь. Окончательный текст Декларации спешно отпечатали и доставили к месту церемонии в 15:59. По дороге машину, которая везла документ, остановила полиция за превышение скорости, но водитель, даже не имея прав, сумел избежать штрафа, объяснив, что иначе задержится провозглашение нового государства.

После зачтения Декларации документ подписали члены Народного совета. Важно помнить, что в зале лично расписались 25 человек, а еще 12 мест оставили для тех, кто не смог присутствовать, в том числе из-за осажденного Иерусалима. Таким образом, полный корпус подписантов насчитывал 37 человек. Церемония транслировалась радиостанцией «Коль Исраэль».

Декларация также предусматривала созыв Учредительного собрания, которое должно было принять конституцию. В январе 1949 года такое собрание действительно было избрано, а вскоре получило название Кнессет первого созыва. В дальнейшем было решено идти путем принятия основных законов, которые и должны были со временем составить основу формальной конституции государства.

Девять подписантов, родившихся на территории нынешней Украины

Особое место в этой истории занимает тот факт, что девять подписантов Декларации независимости родились на территории нынешней Украины. Это подчеркивает глубокую историческую связь между Израилем и еврейской жизнью на украинских землях.

Моше Шерток, впоследствии Шарет, родился в Херсоне и стал одним из ключевых создателей израильской дипломатии, а позже занял пост второго премьер-министра Израиля.

Ицхак Бен-Цви родился в Полтаве, был видным сионистским деятелем и историком, а затем стал вторым президентом Государства Израиль.

Кальман Кахана родился в Бродах, на территории нынешней Львовской области, и представлял религиозно-сионистское направление, сыграв заметную роль в политической жизни молодого государства.

Рахель Коэн-Каган родилась в Одессе и вошла в историю как одна из немногих женщин среди подписантов Декларации независимости, активно занимавшаяся вопросами прав женщин и общественной деятельности.

Голда Меирсон, ставшая позже Голдой Меир, родилась в Киеве и со временем превратилась в одну из самых известных фигур в истории Израиля, возглавив правительство страны.

Даниэль Остер родился в селе Княгини, которое сегодня является частью Ивано-Франковска, и стал известным общественным деятелем, а также первым еврейским мэром Иерусалима в период британского мандата.

Берл Репетур родился в Ружине на территории нынешней Житомирской области и был деятелем рабочего сионистского движения, участвовавшим в формировании государственных структур Израиля.

Мордехай Шатнер родился в Снятыне, в нынешней Ивано-Франковской области, был активистом сионистского движения и вошел в число подписантов документа о создании еврейского государства.

Бен-Цион Штернберг родился в Черновцах и принадлежал к поколению общественных деятелей, участвовавших в создании политического и общественного фундамента будущего Израиля.

Все подписанты Декларации независимости Израиля

Полный список подписантов показывает, что новое государство создавали представители разных политических и общественных течений еврейского ишува — от социалистов и общих сионистов до религиозных деятелей и представителей восточных общин.

• Бен-Гурион, Давид (דָּוִד בֶּן־גּוּרְיוֹן) — главный лидер ишува, зачитавший Декларацию и ставший первым премьер-министром Израиля.
• Бен-Цви, Ицхак (יִצְחָק בֶּן־צְבִי) — сионистский деятель, историк и будущий второй президент Израиля.
• Бентов, Мордехай (מָרְדֳּכַי בֶּנְטוֹב) — представитель левого сионистского лагеря и один из лидеров Мапам.
• Берлинье, Элиягу (אֵלִיָּהוּ בֶּרְלִינֶה) — ветеран общественной жизни ишува и один из старейших подписантов.
• Бернштейн, Фриц (פְרִיץ בֶּרְנְשְׁטֵיין) — политик и экономический деятель из лагеря общих сионистов.
• Варди, Герцль (הֶרְצְל וַרְדִּי) — журналист и общественный деятель.
• Варгафтиг, Зерах (זֶרַח וַרְהַפְטִיג) — юрист, религиозный сионистский политик и будущий министр.
• Вильнер, Меир (מֵאִיר וִילְנֶר) — самый молодой из подписантов и представитель коммунистического лагеря.
• Гольд, Вольф (ווֹלְף גּוֹלְד) — видный деятель религиозного сионизма.
• Грабовский, Меир (מֵאִיר גְּרַבּוֹבְסְקִי), позже Аргов — деятель рабочего движения и будущий парламентарий.
• Грановский, Авраам (אַבְרָהָם גְּרָנוֹבְסְקִי), позже Гранот — руководитель в сфере земельной политики и Еврейского национального фонда.
• Грюнбаум, Ицхак (יִצְחָק גְּרִינְבּוֹים) — один из заметных сионистских политиков довоенного и раннего израильского периода.
• Добкин, Элиягу (אֵלִיָּהוּ דוֹבְקִין) — один из руководителей национальных институтов ишува, занимавшийся вопросами репатриации и организации.
• Кахана, Кальман (קַלְמָן כַּהֲנָא) — представитель религиозно-сионистского направления и будущий израильский политик.
• Каплан, Элиэзер (אֱלִיעֶזֶר קַפְּלָן) — будущий первый министр финансов Израиля.
• Кацнельсон, Авраам (אַבְרָהָם כַּצְנֶלְסוֹן) — врач и общественный деятель рабочего сионизма.
• Кобаши, Саадия (סַעַדְיָה כֻּבָּאשִׁי) — представитель йеменской еврейской общины среди подписантов.
• Коль, Моше (מֹשֶׁה קוֹל) — общественный и политический деятель, позже министр.
• Коэн-Каган, Рахель (רָחֵל כֹּהֵן־כָּגָן) — общественная деятельница и одна из двух женщин среди подписантов.
• Левин, Ицхак-Меир (יִצְחָק־מֵאִיר לֵוִין) — лидер религиозного лагеря и представитель ортодоксального политического направления.
• Левенштейн, Меир Давид (מֵאִיר דָּוִד לוֶנְשְׁטֵיין) — религиозный общественный деятель, связанный с Агудат Исраэль.
• Лурия, Цви (צְבִי לוּרְיָא) — деятель рабочего сионистского движения и национальных институтов.
• Меирсон, Голда (גּוֹלְדָּה מֵאִירְסוֹן), позже Меир — будущий премьер-министр и одна из самых известных фигур в истории Израиля.
• Нир, Нахум (נַחוּם נִיר) — политический деятель рабочего лагеря, позже спикер Кнессета.
• Остер, Даниэль (דָּנִיֵּאל אוֹסְטֶר) — общественный деятель и первый еврейский мэр Иерусалима в подмандатный период.
• Пинкас, Давид-Цви (דָּוִד־צְבִי פִּנְקָס) — религиозный сионистский политик и будущий министр.
• Репетур, Берл (בֶּרֶל רֶפֶּטוּר) — деятель рабочего движения и участник формирования институтов нового государства.
• Ремез, Давид (דָּוִד רֶמֶז) — один из лидеров рабочего сионизма и государственный деятель раннего периода.
• Розенблют, Феликс (פֶּלִיקְס רוֹזֶנְבְּלוּת), позже Пинхас Розен — юрист и первый министр юстиции Израиля.
• Сегаль, Цви (צְבִי סֶגַל) — общественный деятель ишува и представитель национальных структур того времени.
• Шапира, Хаим-Моше (חַיִּים־מֹשֶׁה שַׁפִּירָא) — религиозный сионистский лидер и будущий министр в нескольких правительствах.
• Шатнер, Мордехай (מָרְדֳּכַי שַׁטְנֶר) — сионистский активист и участник государственного строительства раннего Израиля.
• Шерток, Моше (מֹשֶׁה שֶׁרְתוֹק), позже Шарет — один из архитекторов израильской дипломатии, будущий министр иностранных дел и премьер-министр.
• Шитрит, Бехор-Шалом (בְּכוֹר־שָׁלוֹם שִׁטְרִית) — будущий министр полиции и один из наиболее заметных сефардских подписантов.
• Штернберг, Бен-Цион (בֶּן־צִיּוֹן שְׁטֶרְנְבֶּרְג) — общественный деятель поколения основателей государства.
• Фишман, Иегуда-Лейб (יְהוּדָה־לֵיבּ פִישְׁמָן), Маймон — религиозный сионистский лидер и раввин.
• Цизлинг, Аарон (אַהֲרֹן צִיזְלִינְג) — лидер левого сионистского лагеря и будущий министр сельского хозяйства.

Где Декларация?

Во время церемонии 14 мая 1948 года Бен-Гурион фактически читал не с полностью готового свитка: каллиграф Отэ Валлиш не успел закончить весь текст к началу церемонии, поэтому готова была только нижняя часть, а полный свиток завершили позже, в июне 1948 года.

После этого Декларация стала одним из главных государственных документов Израиля. Оригинал хранится в Государственном архиве Израиля, причем в специальных условиях сохранности; архив также показывает оригинальный серебряный футляр для свитка. В некоторых описаниях архивной и музейной экспозиции подчеркивается, что свиток состоит из трех частей, которые позже были приведены к единому виду для сохранения документа.

Для публичного показа обычно используют копии или факсимиле, а не сам оригинал. Кнессет прямо указывает, что копию свитка можно увидеть у них, а оригинал связан с хранением в архиве.

Если же говорить не только о физическом свитке, а о юридической судьбе Декларации, то она не стала полноценной конституцией Израиля. В тексте был заложен замысел созвать Учредительное собрание и принять конституцию, но вместо этого Израиль пошел по пути принятия Основных законов. При этом сама Декларация осталась важнейшим учредительным и ценностным документом государства и регулярно используется как базовый исторический и интерпретационный ориентир.

Война началась сразу после провозглашения

Провозглашение государства не принесло немедленного мира. Практически сразу после этого на территорию нового Израиля вторглись армии пяти арабских стран, и началась война, которая продолжалась около пятнадцати месяцев. Для молодого государства это была не абстрактная борьба за статус, а вопрос выживания. В этой войне погибло более шести тысяч евреев, однако Израиль не только выстоял, но и начал путь к созданию мощной и процветающей страны.

Цена независимости оказалась очень высокой. Но именно эта война закрепила реальность израильской государственности. Израиль сумел создать основы армии, дипломатии, управления и национальной консолидации в условиях прямой угрозы уничтожения.

Почему эта годовщина важна в 2026 году

22 апреля 2026 года напоминает, что государственность Израиля родилась не в спокойной международной обстановке и не как результат формального дипломатического компромисса. Она возникла в момент, когда еврейский народ оказался перед необходимостью самостоятельно отвечать за свою судьбу, безопасность и будущее.

Именно поэтому годовщина независимости остается для Израиля не только праздничной датой, но и днем исторической памяти.

В ней соединяются радость восстановления государства, память о жертвах войны, опыт национального самоопределения и понимание того, какой ценой была достигнута независимость.

Особенно выразительно в этом контексте выглядит и украинское измерение этой истории. Среди подписантов Декларации независимости было немало людей, родившихся в Херсоне, Полтаве, Киеве, Одессе, Черновцах, Бродах, Снятине, Ружине и Княгини. Это еще одно напоминание о том, что история Израиля складывалась не в одном городе и не в одной стране, а через судьбы людей, чьи корни уходили в самые разные части еврейского мира.

14 мая стало для Израиля символом борьбы за достоинство и свободу, а память об этих событиях продолжает вдохновлять и сегодня. В израильском календаре эта историческая точка в 2026 году отмечается 22 апреля, и для многих она остается напоминанием о том, что независимость никогда не была подарком — она всегда требовала воли, жертвы и готовности защищать свое будущее. В более широком восточноевропейском контексте эта дата звучит и как напоминание о том, насколько тесно переплетены истории Израиля и Украины.

One of Donald Trump’s most influential supporters in the American MAGA movement traveled to Ukraine to personally verify Russia’s claims of ‘Nazism’ and persecution of Jews. After Bucha, an air raid alert, the damaged Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and a conversation with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman, Laura Loomer publicly acknowledged that her previous beliefs were mistaken.

Laura Loomer came to verify Russian myths: after Bucha and a meeting with Moshe Asman, Trump’s ally admitted she was wrong.

On July 24, 2026, the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman received American political blogger Laura Loomer — one of the most prominent and controversial representatives of the MAGA movement, with direct access to the entourage of US President Donald Trump — at the Central Synagogue of Ukraine.

The visit marked another stage in Loomer’s unexpected change of position, who until recently opposed American aid to Ukraine, repeated Russian claims of alleged ‘Nazism’ in the country, and stated that the war did not concern her.

Now she says she was under the influence of Russian propaganda and did not understand what Ukrainians go through daily.

Moshe Asman told Loomer about the war and the life of Jews in Ukraine.

In a message published on July 24, 2026, Moshe Asman stated that the conversation at the Central Synagogue was candid. The Chief Rabbi of Ukraine explained to the American guest that Russian aggression is not an abstract dispute between states but daily shelling, dead children, destroyed cities, and personal tragedies of millions of Ukrainian families.

Asman also shared what he and the Jewish community had to endure during the years of full-scale war.

A separate topic was the situation of Jews in modern Ukraine. For many years, Russian propaganda tried to portray Ukraine as a state where Jews are allegedly persecuted and religious life is restricted. According to Asman, these claims previously caused concern for Laura Loomer.

The Rabbi told her that Ukrainian Jews openly practice their faith, hold services, restore synagogues, create schools, help those in need, and are an integral part of Ukrainian society.

“The Jewish community lives here openly, freely practices their faith, restores synagogues, builds Jewish schools, and helps people,” emphasized Moshe Asman.

As a memento of the meeting, he gave Loomer his book “Between Miracle and Reality”, dedicated to the life of the Jewish community, the events of the war, and the Rabbi’s personal experience.

Who is Laura Loomer and why her visit matters

Laura Loomer does not hold positions in the US administration and is not an official advisor to the White House. However, she cannot be considered an ordinary blogger.

The Associated Press calls her a staunch ally of Donald Trump. Nearly two million users follow Loomer’s publications, and her campaigns against individual American officials have repeatedly led to personnel consequences within the administration. Donald Trump publicly called her a patriot and confirmed that he listens to her statements.

Loomer is an American of Jewish descent, openly supports Israel, and calls herself a Zionist. At the same time, she remains a highly controversial figure: American and Israeli media characterize her as a representative of the far-right political wing and remind of her harsh statements regarding Muslims and migrants.

It is Loomer’s closeness to Trump and her popularity among MAGA supporters that make her change of attitude towards Ukraine politically significant. Her audience largely consists of people who have heard about the war for years through American conservative channels, often repeating narratives favorable to the Kremlin.

Bucha was the first serious shock

During the trip, Loomer visited Bucha — a city that became one of the main symbols of Russian crimes against civilians.

She visited the Church of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called and saw the site of the mass burial of residents killed during the Russian occupation in 2022. Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk reported that the American blogger was told stories of specific victims and shown evidence of Russian military crimes.

After visiting Bucha, Loomer admitted that for years she believed false claims about the nature of the war.

Previously, she called Ukraine a country allegedly filled with ‘Nazi supporters’ and opposed support for Ukrainian defense. The Associated Press notes that such statements coincided with one of the main propaganda justifications Russia uses to explain its aggression.

The air raid alert changed the perception of the war

While in Ukraine, Loomer personally experienced an air raid alert for the first time.

She wrote that she hears the sirens and now understands: for Ukrainians, such a threat is part of everyday life. Loomer reminded that she had repeatedly said before that what was happening in Ukraine did not concern her, and then admitted that such words were wrong.

“We need moral clarity,” she stated after experiencing the alert.

For NAnews — Israel News, the fact of acknowledging the mistake is important. Loomer decided not to delete previous publications so that they remain evidence of how strongly the Russian information campaign can influence even experienced political activists with a large audience.

She essentially admitted that she was discussing the war without seeing its consequences and without talking to people who live under the constant threat of Russian missiles and drones.

Visit to the damaged Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra

The next important point of the trip was the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

Loomer visited the Assumption Cathedral and other objects of the complex damaged by a Russian strike on June 15, 2026. She was accompanied by the First Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Serhiy Kyslytsia, Minister of Culture Tetyana Berezhna, and representatives of the national reserve.

After the strike, a fire broke out in the monastery complex, damaging the interior and exterior structures. Ukrainian authorities called the incident an attack on Christian cultural heritage. Russia denied responsibility and without evidence claimed that the destruction could allegedly have been caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile.

While inside the cathedral, Loomer criticized Putin’s statements about protecting Christianity. She stated that Russian authorities cannot portray themselves as defenders of the faith while simultaneously striking one of Ukraine’s most important Christian monuments.

Meeting with Zelensky and Trump’s reaction

On July 23, Laura Loomer met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Mariinsky Palace.

She recorded an interview with him for her program Loomer Unleashed. Among the topics discussed were Ukraine-US relations, a previous tense meeting at the White House, and the subsequent restoration of contact between Zelensky and Trump.

The President of Ukraine stated that an important moment was their brief conversation at the Vatican, which allowed changing the nature of relations in 15-20 minutes.

The Ukrainian side emphasizes that Loomer’s trip was initially not organized by state structures. Zelensky’s representative Dmytro Litvin reported that the President’s Office learned about her visit from social media.

After the publication of a photo of Loomer with Zelensky, Donald Trump reacted to the meeting with the words: “Very good!!!”

This brief reaction is significant. It shows that Trump did not perceive the rapprochement of one of his most prominent supporters with Ukraine as a manifestation of disloyalty.

Chronology of Laura Loomer’s trip

Date	Event
July 20-21, 2026	Loomer arrived in Ukraine and announced that she came to personally verify information about the war.
July 21	Visited Bucha, the site of mass burial, and acknowledged the influence of Russian propaganda.
July 22-23	Experienced an air raid alert in Kyiv and visited the damaged Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
July 23	Held a meeting and interview with Volodymyr Zelensky.
July 24	Met with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman at the Central Synagogue of Ukraine.

Why the meeting with Moshe Asman was especially important

Bucha showed Loomer the consequences of Russian occupation. The air raid alert allowed her to feel the daily threat. The destruction at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra demonstrated the inconsistency of Moscow’s claims about ‘protecting Christianity’.

The meeting with Moshe Asman shattered another Russian myth — about the allegedly ‘Nazi Ukraine’ where Jews are persecuted.

Loomer saw a functioning synagogue in the center of Kyiv, met with one of the most well-known Jewish leaders in the country, and heard about the development of religious life directly from a representative of the Ukrainian Jewish community.

For the Israeli reader, this part of the trip is of fundamental importance. Russia tried to use the memory of the Holocaust and the fear of anti-Semitism as a tool to justify aggression. But at the same time, Russian missiles and drones threaten Ukrainian Jews just as they do all other residents of the country.

Jewish schools are forced to equip shelters. Synagogues help evacuated families. Rabbis conduct funerals for fallen soldiers and civilians. Jewish communities collect humanitarian aid, support hospitals, and help elderly people survive the war.

Has the entire MAGA changed along with Loomer

It is premature to talk about a change in the position of the entire MAGA movement.

Among Trump’s supporters, there are still serious disagreements about military aid to Ukraine. Many influential American conservatives still believe that Washington should reduce its involvement in European security.

Laura Loomer also did not become a representative of the American government and did not receive the authority to negotiate on behalf of Trump.

But her trip can influence the informational discourse within the American right-wing movement. A person who previously repeated Russian narratives is now telling the same audience about Bucha, air raid alerts, destroyed churches, and the free life of Jews in Ukraine.

Moreover, Loomer links support for Ukraine with the security of Israel and the US. In her statements, she draws attention to Russia’s cooperation with Iran and claims that the Moscow-Tehran alliance makes Russian aggression part of a broader threat to Western countries.

Propaganda ends where personal experience begins

Laura Loomer’s trip does not negate her previous statements and does not remove questions about her political activities. However, the willingness to publicly admit a mistake remains a rare phenomenon in modern politics.

She came to Ukraine to verify Russian claims and discovered a reality opposite to the picture that had been spread for years among some American conservatives.

Bucha showed her the crimes of the Russian army. The air raid alert — the daily life of Ukrainians. The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra — Russia’s strikes on Christian heritage. And the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Asman — the real situation of Jews in the country.

At the end of the meeting, Asman thanked Loomer for the courage to come to Ukraine despite the danger and wished her wisdom, health, protection, and the ability to always remain on the side of truth and justice.

For NAnews — Israel News, this story is a vivid example that Russian propaganda cannot be defeated by official statements alone. Sometimes a person needs to see a mass grave with their own eyes, hear the sirens, and talk to people whose lives they previously assessed based on social media publications.

American intelligence agencies are investigating whether Russia could have helped Iran carry out precise strikes on secret CIA facilities in the Middle East. At the center of the investigation are attacks by modified Iranian Shahed drones, allegedly equipped with the Russian protected navigation system ‘Kometa-M’.

At least two CIA-related facilities were hit in March 2026. One was located on the grounds of the US embassy in Riyadh, the other in eastern Iraq. One of the Western intelligence documents, the contents of which were reviewed by Reuters, concludes that Russia ‘likely’ played a certain role in providing data used for targeting the strikes. The US intelligence has not yet reached a final conclusion, but the precision of the attacks is prompting Washington to consider the most dangerous scenario.

Information specifically about possible Russian assistance to Iran in targeting CIA facilities became public on July 22, 2026. The Reuters exclusive was published at 18:31 UTC, which is approximately 21:31 Israeli time. Reuters emphasized that the investigation into possible Russian involvement in the attacks on CIA facilities had not been publicly disclosed before.

However, certain parts of this story were known earlier:

• On March 3, 2026, Reuters reported that a suspected Iranian drone hit a CIA station located at the US embassy in Riyadh. At that time, a source claimed that there were no signs of intentional targeting specifically at the CIA unit.
• Also in March 2026, reports emerged that Russia had transferred the protected satellite navigation system ‘Kometa-M’ to Iran and was providing Tehran with other technical and intelligence support.
• Only on July 22 were all the elements first linked together: strikes on several CIA facilities, Russian versions of Shahed, ‘Kometa-M’, and the possible transfer of targeting data by Moscow.

If these suspicions are confirmed, this is no longer a typical Russian-Iranian partnership or another arms exchange deal. It would mean Moscow’s deliberate assistance in targeting American intelligence facilities — that is, the actual complicity of two regimes in direct attacks on US infrastructure.

For Israel, this story has direct military and political significance.

If Russia is indeed helping Iran not only to improve drones but also to obtain precise coordinates of closed American facilities, the same technologies and intelligence capabilities could be used against Israeli military bases, command centers, intelligence facilities, energy infrastructure, and defense industry enterprises.

Therefore, Jerusalem needs more than just to strengthen air defense: it is necessary to reconsider the political attitude towards Moscow. A state that supplies Iran with military technologies and possibly helps choose targets for strikes cannot continue to be perceived as a neutral mediator, with whom previous caution should be maintained at all costs.

Two drones and one breached wall

The strike on the American embassy in the capital of Saudi Arabia occurred on March 3, 2026. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense reported that the diplomatic complex was attacked by two drones. A limited fire broke out, the buildings sustained material damage, but there were no casualties or injuries. Immediately after the attack, a Reuters source emphasized that there was no evidence of intentional targeting specifically at the CIA station at that time.

However, later, additional information became available to Western intelligence structures.

According to Reuters sources, the attack might have been constructed in an unusual scheme: the first drone breached the outer structure of the building, after which the second drone entered through the resulting opening and exploded inside. Such a sequence requires not just approximate coordinates of a large diplomatic complex, but high precision, stable navigation, and an understanding of the target’s structure.

This episode raised a question among intelligence analysts: did Iran have precise data on where within the embassy complex the CIA unit was located?

Theoretically, the station could have been hit accidentally during an attack on the embassy as a whole. But when information simultaneously emerges about another CIA facility being hit in Iraq, the version of a simple coincidence begins to look significantly weaker.

Russia possesses satellite observation means, extensive electronic intelligence capabilities, and years of experience studying American military infrastructure. Moscow also has an obvious interest in weakening the US presence both in Europe and the Middle East.

American intelligence agencies now have to determine whether the Russian side limited itself to supplying equipment or transferred specific coordinates, satellite images, and other target information to Iran.

What is the Russian ‘Kometa-M’

At the center of the technical part of the investigation is the Russian satellite navigation system of the ‘Kometa-M’ family.

This is not a device that independently searches for a target or recognizes a CIA building. ‘Kometa-M’ is a protected navigation module that allows a drone to continue moving along pre-loaded coordinates under conditions of active satellite signal jamming.

The main advantage of such a system is increased resistance to electronic warfare. A regular Shahed may deviate from the route if the GPS signal or another satellite system is jammed or spoofed. The Russian module helps filter out interference and maintain accuracy on the final flight segment.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine documented various versions of Russian systems of the ‘Kometa’ family found in guided munitions and other types of Russian weapons. The Ukrainian component database, in particular, features the interference-resistant system ‘Kometa-M12’, manufactured by the Russian enterprise VNIIR-‘Progress’.

Intelligence sources cited by Reuters believe that Russia could have transferred more advanced navigation technology to Iran for upgrading Shahed. Such devices become significantly more dangerous: they do not turn into high-precision Western-level weapons but gain much more chances to reach the designated point directly.

This results in an extremely dangerous combination. Russia can provide coordinates and satellite information, Iran can prepare and launch drones, and the Russian navigation system can help them pass through jamming and approach the secret facility.

Each side can formally claim that it did not strike independently. But the result of such a division of roles remains the same explosion.

From Ukraine to the Persian Gulf

The connection between Russia’s war against Ukraine and current events in the Middle East is becoming increasingly evident.

Ukraine has become a huge testing ground for Russian developers, where Moscow has been testing Shahed for years, changing their design, improving navigation, complicating routes, and finding ways to bypass air defenses. Now, technologies created and tested on Ukrainian cities could allegedly have been transferred to Iran for attacks on American facilities.

This is the same technological conveyor of terror. Iran once transferred Shahed to Russia for strikes on Ukraine. Russia reworked these drones, improved individual systems, and gained combat experience in their mass use. Now, the upgraded solutions could return to Tehran — already with Russian intelligence capabilities.

European states warned Washington about this threat back in March 2026. According to Reuters, European ministers were planning to raise the issue of Russian support for Iran with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Intelligence sources reported that Moscow was transferring satellite images and technologies to Tehran, helping to select American and regional targets. Sergey Lavrov denied reports of intelligence transfers, although the Russian side did not hide the existence of military cooperation with Iran.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency notes: the threat concerns not only the US and Ukraine. Any technology that increases the accuracy of Iranian drones automatically creates additional danger for Israel, American bases in the region, facilities in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iraq.

Israel has already faced massive Iranian attacks. Therefore, the issue of Russian assistance to Tehran cannot be viewed as a distant episode of the Moscow-Washington confrontation. Russian navigation modules, satellite data, and experience in bypassing air defenses can ultimately be used against Israeli targets.

Americans are already dying

On July 17, 2026, two American servicemen were killed in Jordan while repelling an Iranian attack using ballistic missiles and drones. Another serviceman was initially considered missing. These data were officially confirmed by the US Central Command.

It is important to formulate the circumstances accurately: CENTCOM did not state that the military died solely from a direct hit by a ballistic missile. The official statement says they died during the defense against a combined missile-drone attack.

Nevertheless, after this episode, the question of Russia’s role became even sharper. Analysts are trying to understand whether Iran received Russian data only for the March attacks on CIA facilities or if Moscow could have helped Tehran in selecting American military targets in Jordan.

There is currently no public evidence of Russian involvement specifically in the July strike. But the very fact of such a question shows the depth of distrust that has arisen due to Moscow and Tehran’s cooperation.

This is no longer abstract geopolitics. American military personnel are dying, secret CIA facilities are being damaged, and drones created by Iran and improved with Russian technologies are becoming weapons of a common war against the West.

Washington talks to Moscow while intelligence checks its role

The ongoing diplomatic dialogue between the US and Russia makes the situation look particularly contradictory.

On July 23, 2026, Marco Rubio met with Sergey Lavrov in Manila on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum. The parties discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine, bilateral relations, and the possibility of resuming diplomatic efforts. At the same time, the American intelligence community continues to investigate whether Moscow helped Iran target CIA facilities.

Washington is trying to separate directions: talking to the Kremlin about Ukraine separately, fighting Iran separately, and investigating the transfer of intelligence data separately.

But Russia and Iran, apparently, have long not considered these conflicts separately.

For Moscow, the war in the Middle East can distract American resources from Ukraine, raise oil prices, create a rift between the US and allies, and increase the load on the Western air defense system. For Tehran, Russian assistance opens access to technologies that were improved during strikes on Ukrainian territory.

This creates a single front, even if its participants do not formalize an official military alliance.

What this threat means for Israel and how to respond

For Israel, the most dangerous aspect is not the mere fact that Iran has Russian navigation modules. The main threat arises when interference-protected navigation is combined with precise satellite images, intelligence data, and information about the internal structure of objects.

Iran has previously had coordinates of Israeli military bases, airfields, and enterprises. However, the ability to receive fresher data, refine the location of individual units, and program drones for sequential strikes significantly increases the danger. A scenario in which the first device damages the outer defense and the second is directed into the resulting gap is especially alarming for underground command posts, hangars, ammunition depots, radar stations, and protected communication facilities.

Israel needs to proceed from the fact that Russian-Iranian cooperation is no longer limited to the war against Ukraine. Technologies that Russia tested on Ukrainian cities can return to Iran in an improved form and then be used against Israel and American forces in the Middle East.

But technical measures alone are no longer sufficient. Israel must formulate a clear political position: assistance to Iran in increasing the accuracy of missile and drone strikes is a direct threat to Israel’s national security, regardless of which country these systems are used against today.

Jerusalem must officially demand explanations from Moscow regarding the transfer of navigation technologies, satellite information, and other means to Iran that can be used for target selection. If the American investigation confirms the transfer of CIA facility coordinates, Israel must publicly declare that Russia has ceased to be a neutral participant in the Middle Eastern confrontation and has effectively joined in strengthening Iran’s strike potential.

It is also necessary to abandon the policy where maintaining working relations with the Kremlin is automatically considered more important than publicly defending Israeli interests. Caution may have had an explanation while Russia posed a threat primarily through its presence in Syria. But if Moscow helps Iran improve weapons capable of striking secret facilities with increased accuracy, the previous model of relations becomes dangerous for Israel itself.

This does not mean that Israel is obliged to immediately sever diplomatic relations with Russia.

However, contacts with Moscow should depend on its actual behavior. Military-technical assistance to Iran should have a political price: reducing sensitive cooperation, restrictions on Russian structures associated with Iranian defense programs, and joining targeted sanctions against enterprises and specialists involved in the development of such systems.

The first practical task should be obtaining full intelligence information from the US about the March attacks on CIA facilities. It is important for Israel to know which versions of Shahed were used, which components were found in the wreckage, how accurately the devices maintained the route, and whether there are signs of coordinate loading with the participation of Russian specialists.

The second direction is the modernization of electronic protection. If ‘Kometa-M’ indeed increases the resistance of drones to conventional jamming, Israel will have to develop not only satellite signal suppression but also methods of navigation deception, control interception, physical destruction of drones at long ranges, and detection of devices before they enter Israeli airspace.

The third task is to revise the protection of strategic facilities. It is not enough to simply cover a base with an air defense system. It is necessary to consider the possibility of repeated strikes on one point, the use of several drones with different tasks, and attempts to hit an already damaged section of the building. Critical centers should have dispersed command posts, backup communication systems, and the ability to continue operating after a direct hit.

Israel should also significantly expand the exchange of experience with Ukraine. Ukrainian specialists have unique information about Russian versions of Shahed, ‘Kometa’ family modules, changes in drone design, and practical ways to counter them. Political distance from Kyiv in this area no longer looks like caution — it can turn into a refusal of information necessary for the protection of Israeli cities.

Cooperation with Ukraine should include regular exchange of technical data, joint analysis of wreckage, study of Russian navigation modules, and coordination of actions against companies supplying components for drone production. Israel should not wait until weapons tested against Ukraine are massively used against it.

At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen political coordination with the US and European states. If Moscow is indeed helping Tehran target American facilities, this creates a basis for a common sanctions and diplomatic response. Israel should participate in forming such a response, rather than trying to maintain separate relations with Russia in the hope that Moscow and Iran’s cooperation will not be directed against Israeli targets.

It is impossible to simultaneously consider Iran the main strategic adversary of Israel and turn a blind eye to the actions of a state that transfers technologies, intelligence capabilities, and combat experience to it. Such duality no longer protects Israel — it limits its ability to respond to the threat in advance.

If the investigation confirms the transfer of coordinates, Israel will have to reconsider its attitude towards Russia. A state that helps Iran increase the accuracy of strikes and choose secret targets becomes part of a hostile infrastructure, even if it does not formally launch missiles and drones independently.

The political conclusion must be crystal clear: relations with Moscow cannot be built as if Russian support for Iran does not concern Israel. It does — directly. Therefore, Israel needs to act before Russian intelligence data and navigation technologies are used for a strike on an Israeli facility, not after.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers it fundamentally important not to substitute the investigation with a ready-made verdict. American intelligence agencies have not yet presented public evidence that Russia transferred coordinates of the CIA station to Iran. It has not been established whether Russian specialists participated in programming routes or selecting targets.

But the already known circumstances look extremely alarming.

Two CIA facilities were hit. Iran used drones with unusually high precision. Russia provided Tehran with military technologies and, according to Western sources, satellite information. One of the intelligence documents concluded a likely Russian role in targeting the strikes.

If further investigation confirms the transfer of coordinates, Moscow will cross a qualitatively new line.

This will mean that Russia is not just selling or transferring weapons to Iran. It helps choose American targets, provides means for their destruction, and uses Tehran as an executor of attacks, retaining the ability to deny its own involvement.

And then the expression ‘Russian-Iranian partnership’ will become too mild.

It will be about the complicity of two terrorist regimes that have combined intelligence, technologies, and combat experience to strike Ukraine, Israel, American military personnel, and Western intelligence facilities.

The consequences of such a policy are already visible far beyond the European front. While some Western politicians continue to treat aid to Ukraine as an issue that can be postponed or used in negotiations, the technologies of the Russian war are spreading across the Middle East.

The war that was not stopped in Ukraine did not remain in Ukraine.