Days after Russia invaded Ukraine final 12 months, Matvey Kukuy, a expertise entrepreneur, fled the nation for Israel, extra out of disgrace than concern. However when Hamas attacked his new residence two weeks in the past, he did the alternative: Whereas at a convention in Portugal, he booked tickets to return to Israel in one among its biggest moments of disaster.
“I felt I used to be on the best facet of historical past this time,” Mr. Kukuy, 30, mentioned in a telephone interview from Tel Aviv.
Mr. Kukuy, who’s from Moscow, was one among hundreds of Russians with Jewish heritage, together with many outstanding figures, who left for Israel after the invasion of Ukraine. Some stood in strains in entrance of Israeli diplomatic missions in Moscow, some sought to show their Jewish roots inside Israel. To resettle in Israel, Russians want to indicate that one grownup member of the family has Jewish heritage.
Within the early weeks of 2022, when a Russian invasion of Ukraine appeared imminent, a gradual stream of individuals left Russia. That was a flood of such proportions after the battle began that Russian prosecutors quickly sought to impose an operational ban on a significant Jewish nonprofit company that helps individuals to migrate to Israel. A Russian courtroom has but to rule on the matter.