Hundreds of Israeli nationals have been stranded in Ukraine for months due to the ongoing war in Eastern Europe.
The situation began with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to changes in Ukraine’s conscription law. The amended law stipulates that any man with Ukrainian citizenship who is in the country cannot leave and is required to join the military if he is between the ages of 18 and 60. This law also applies to those with foreign citizenship who live in another country, including hundreds of Israelis.
At the beginning of the month, the Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory urging Israelis with dual citizenship to avoid traveling to the Eastern European country for fear they will not be allowed to leave.
"Indeed, there are hundreds of Israelis stranded in Ukraine since the war began," Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky told Ynet and its sister publication Yedioth Ahronoth. "We receive requests from dozens of them, and sometimes their passports are confiscated when they try to leave the country. The authorities send us the passports, and we return them to the Israelis. But beyond that, there’s little we can do to help."
Regarding the travel advisory issued on July 1, Brodsky added, "We decided to publish the advisory now for two reasons. First, the U.S. Embassy issued a similar warning a week before us, and second, new regulations in Ukraine that will further tighten the law will take effect on July 16."
Petro, a 29-year-old resident of Kyiv, shared his experience. "My life has changed drastically recently. For a year now, I haven’t used public transportation for fear of being detained. In the Kyiv metro, both at the entrance and exit, there are soldiers and police who immediately apprehend you if you’re a man and send you to the recruitment office," he said.
"Every officer is required to catch at least three men a day. A man walking openly in the city feels like a criminal, like a drug dealer—he can be arrested at any moment. Every time I leave the house, I’m not sure I’ll come back.
"There are Telegram channels where Kyiv residents inform each other about dangerous areas and where authorities have set up ambushes. You caught me in a store; I came to buy food. I get here by going through courtyards and avoiding main streets because even that’s dangerous.
"I have friends who were caught at a bus stop and sent straight to basic training. But despite all this, I must admit the situation here in Kyiv is better than in other cities, not to mention the villages, where there are no men left at all."
Sasha, an Israeli living in Kyiv, shared his fear of being caught. "At the beginning of the war, I still went out, but I stopped after they started arresting men in the streets. One day I went to the pharmacy, and right behind me, a group of soldiers and police pounced on a guy walking down the street. Since then, I haven’t left the house," he shared.
"I closed my bank account and deleted the app for interacting with the authorities. I live with my girlfriend. Before the war, I worked and she was a homemaker. Now, she works and does the shopping, and I don’t leave the apartment.
"I desperately want to reunite with my family in Israel. I'm preparing myself mentally and physically for the journey to escape Ukraine by crossing the border on foot. I do runs, push-ups and train my endurance.
"Men with Ukrainian citizenship, do not come to Ukraine," he implored. "You will get stuck here without an apartment and without means of livelihood. Don’t try your luck, you will get into big trouble! The interior services can track name changes; even if your ID says Vladimir, they’ll know you were Volodymyr. Don’t get yourself in this mess."