Senior Israeli official condemns Russian mobilization, nuclear threats

By Lazar Berman

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21 September 2022, 8:21 pm

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Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

FILE - Russia's President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu attend the opening of the Army 2022 International Military and Technical Forum outside Moscow, Russia, August 15, 2022. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

A senior Israeli official condemns the decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin to mobilize hundreds of thousands of reservists for the war in Ukraine.

“We have condemned in very clear language incidents like Bucha,” says the official, referring to the Kyiv suburb where Russian soldiers executed Ukrainian civilians. “This falls under that. This calling up of 300,000 additional soldiers to further deepen a war that didn’t need to happen in the first place. The same of course goes for the threats to use nuclear weapons.”

The official adds that he is “worried in general for the Jews in Russia,” and that Prime Minster Yair Lapid asked El Al’s CEO on Monday to ensure that flights from Russia to Israel continue, enabling Jews to leave if they so desire.