RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR

Russia’s Medvedev warns Israel against supplying arms to Ukraine

Russia’s former leader Dmitry Medvedev warned Israel on Monday against supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying any move to bolster Kyiv’s forces would severely damage bilateral ties.

“Israel appears to be getting ready to supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. A very reckless move. It would destroy all bilateral relations between our countries,” the former president and prime minister said in a statement on Telegram.

Israel has sent humanitarian aid including helmets to Ukraine, but it has stopped short of sending weaponry.

The government has sought to maintain ties with Moscow and is wary of Russia’s military presence across its northern frontier in Syria, where the Israeli military regularly launches strikes targeting pro-Iranian elements.

Many Israelis have roots in the former Soviet Union, including Russia and Ukraine.

A spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who also holds the foreign affairs portfolio, told AFP his office would not be commenting on Medvedev’s remarks.