Body of Israeli man killed in Ukraine returning to Israel for burial
Roman Brodsky’s body is flown from Ukraine to Moldova, and then Romania, before arriving in Tel Aviv ahead of funeral scheduled for Sunday
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The remains of an Israeli man who was killed by Ukrainian troops due to apparent mistaken identity were being flown back to Israel on Friday ahead of his burial, the Foreign Ministry said.
The remains of Roman Brodsky were on a flight from Romania to Tel Aviv after being flown the previous evening from Ukraine to Moldova and from there to Romania.
The ministry said returning Brodsky home was made possible “by representatives from the Foreign Ministry, ZAKA, Chabad officials, and the Menuha La’ad burial society.”
Brodsky was initially scheduled to be buried later Friday, but the Kan public broadcaster said the funeral had been delayed until Sunday, where he will be buried in the southern city of Arad.
Brodsky was shot dead by Ukrainian troops after he was apparently mistaken for a Chechen soldier.
His parents asked that his remains be flown back to Israel for burial. There was reportedly a brief disagreement between Brodsky’s partner and the family on repatriating his body due to the dangerous situation.
Brodsky’s father, Yafim, wanted to bury his son in Israel, but Brodsky’s partner, Mila, was afraid to travel, according to Channel 12 news.
ארונו של האזרח הישראלי רומן ברודסקי שנהרג באוקראינה עושה דרכו לארץ בטיסה פרטית מרומניה. קרדיט: חברת מנוחה לעד pic.twitter.com/zt97v6H60m
— Itamar Eichner (@itamareichner) March 4, 2022
The Foreign Ministry said Brodsky was part of a convoy of vehicles traveling to the Moldovan border to leave the country. He and his partner were intending to then fly to Israel.
Video footage published Wednesday by Israeli television purportedly showed the deadly shooting. The footage showed a stopped car coming under sustained fire, with at least one person shooting toward the vehicle from close range.
Despite Ukrainian soldiers shooting Brodsky, his family told Channel 12 that they blame the “dictator” Vladimir Putin for his death.
Brodsky came to Israel at age 13 with his family. He lived in the country for around 27 years and had two small children. He returned to Ukraine about 2 years ago to start a business in Kyiv.
The Zaka rescue service gave his age as 37, though some Israeli news outlets identified him as 41 or 42 years old.
The Times of Israel Community.