Elkin and Edelstein visited the Ukrainian intelligence laboratory for the study of Iranian drones

Members of the Knesset Zeev Elkin (Mahane Mamlakhti) and Yuli Edelstein (Likud), who are visiting Kiev, visited the Ukrainian military intelligence laboratory, which studies Iranian drones. This was reported by the radio station “Kan Bet”.

The visit to the laboratory was organized by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov.

The inscriptions in Persian and the dates affixed to the captured Ukrainian military vehicles, according to experts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, are evidence that Iran has been supplying drones to Russia since the beginning of the war.

“Iran is turning Ukraine into its military training ground, and this is dangerous for Israel,” the Israeli ministers said.

Earlier, on February 21, Zeev Elkin and Yuli Edelstein met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting took place in Zelensky’s office and lasted about an hour.

During the meeting, an increase in Israel’s assistance to Ukraine was discussed, including the possible supply of defense systems against Iranian UAVs. The meeting also discussed joint steps to confront Iran in the international arena.

At the end of the meeting, the co-chairs of the Israel-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Association addressed President Zelensky with a joint statement in which they expressed respect for the resilience of the Ukrainian people and stressed that Israel, as part of the Western world, cannot stand aside when civilians and Ukraine are being shelled. fights against unfair aggression.

In their appeal, the deputies recalled that Israel condemned Russian aggression from the first day of the war and does not recognize Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory.

“Israel has provided and continues to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, but, in our opinion, this is not enough,” the Knesset deputies said in a statement.

Following the meeting, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he was glad to finally hear words of support from Israel. At the same time, Zelensky stressed that he would like to see not only statements, but also real help. In particular, air defense systems.

The day before, Elkin and Edelstein visited Bucha and held talks with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.

Recall that last week Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen paid an official visit to Ukraine. Unlike deputies Elkin and Edelstein, Cohen did not mention Russia during his visit, and even during his visit to Bucha he did not condemn Russia and the Russian authorities for the crimes committed in Ukraine by the Russian army.

We provide the full text of the deputies’ appeal to President Zelensky:

“Dear Mr. President!

We have come to Ukraine today as representatives of the Knesset and as co-chairs of the Israel-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Society to express our support for Ukraine, the Ukrainian people and the leadership of Ukraine at this difficult time.

For a year now, the Ukrainian people have been heroically defending their land from the Russian invasion. In this terrible war, the possibility of which was impossible to imagine in the past, not only the military, but also civilians, the elderly, women, and children are dying.

Russia continues to shell Ukrainian cities, including Kharkov, the city where one of us was born and raised.

Missile strikes and Iranian drone strikes on civilian infrastructure.

All those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression must be punished inexorably.

The entire civilized world, led by the United States and Europe, has provided and will continue to support Ukraine in the struggle for its freedom and independence. The State of Israel, as part of the international Western community and as a country that knows from its own experience how to defend its independence with weapons in its hands, in the fight against unjust aggression, and what is continuous shelling of civilians, cannot stand aside at this time.

Since the first day of the war, Israel has condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and consistently votes in support of Ukraine in the UN and does not recognize the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories.

Israel has provided and will continue to provide extensive humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, but in our opinion this is not enough.

Israel must significantly increase its support for Ukraine and can and must do much more than it has done so far.

We must stop being cautious and take an unequivocal proactive stance in accordance with basic moral values, as expected from a country belonging to the free western world.

We must help Ukraine in all areas where Israeli technology, including military technology, can help Ukraine protect its civilian population and its freedom and independence.

There are moments in world history when one cannot sit on two chairs.

We hope that last week’s visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs was only the first sign in the process.

And we will do everything in our power as parliamentarians to achieve a significant expansion of Israeli support for Ukraine in all areas.

We support practical cooperation between Israel and Ukraine in the field of air and missile defense. And also in other areas of defensive technologies.

It is symbolic that when the entire civilized world supports Ukraine, there is one country that helps the Russian army in terror against the civilian population of Ukrainian cities, this is Iran.

The same Iran that openly declares its desire to destroy the State of Israel sponsors terror against Israel and its civilians and seeks to possess a nuclear bomb.

There is no doubt that the Russian-Iranian military-political rapprochement is a common challenge for the security of Israel and Ukraine. Iran is gaining new combat experience every day by testing its weapons in Ukraine.

The strengthening of this alliance creates security problems not only for Ukraine, but also for Israel. Israel and Ukraine need to jointly take immediate action to contain this axis of evil.

And in the fight against Iran and its participation in supporting terror against the civilian population and the threat posed by it, we are also on the same side of the barricade, and we must do everything together so that the world community joins this fight and proves to Iran with uncompromising steps that supporting terror will cost him dearly.

Mr. President, we believe that the people of Ukraine will endure this difficult war and defend their freedom and independence.

We know what a difficult price to pay in this war.

But our Israeli experience shows that the people who know what they are fighting for always win and turn the post-war difficulties into the beginning of a new stage in their history and a leap forward.

We believe that by defending its independence, Ukraine will not only be able to restore everything that was destroyed, but also, like Israel in its time, make a huge leap into the future.

Israel will do everything to help Ukraine in this process of post-war renewal.

Mr. President, as natives of Ukraine, whose relatives live in Ukraine today under shelling, we know firsthand how hard it is for you today. But truth and justice always win, and we have no doubts on whose side they are. That is why we are here with you today.”