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Israel’s Foreign Ministry has announced they will not recognise the results of illegitimate referendums held in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia or Russia-backed separatists, while the country also begins welcoming wounded Ukrainian soldiers to receive advanced medical treatment.
A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry said: “Israel recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will not recognise the results of the referendums in the eastern districts of Ukraine”. Russia held the annexation referendums in the breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as Russia-occupied southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Russia has claimed victory in the referendums, whilst Ukraine has called them a “sham” and the UK has promised new sanctions targeting Russian officials involved in enforcing the votes.
Parallel to this news, the first severely wounded Ukrainian soldiers arrived in Israel to receive advanced medical treatment at the Sheba hospital in Tel Aviv. The two soldiers arrived under an agreement between Israel and Ukraine which will see 20 Ukrainian service members receive treatment for severe wounds in Israeli hospitals. Sheba previously opened a field hospital in western Ukraine for six weeks following the Russian invasion. Last month, it was reported that an Israeli defence contractor had supplied anti-drone equipment to the Ukrainian military.
