Russian Outlet SHOT Accused of Fabricating Israel Entry Denial Story

Russian Telegram channel SHOT has been accused of fabricating a sensational story claiming a Russian citizen was denied entry into Israel because she was carrying Russian rubles. The 28-year-old St. Petersburg resident, Elizaveta Mishkevich, arrived in Israel as a tourist intending to visit the country and relax at the Dead Sea. Upon arrival, she was directed to secondary screening during passport control. During questioning, immigration officers noticed she had rubles and inquired about her reasons for carrying Russian currency. SHOT's report presented this exchange as the sole reason for her denied entry, further alleging that Mishkevich was told "tourism does not exist in Israel." This narrative was quickly amplified by other Russian media outlets with headlines asserting Israel denied entry due to Russian money.

However, Mishkevich herself stated that SHOT distorted her account. While acknowledging that Russian currency was discussed, she expressed uncertainty about it being the definitive reason for denial, though she speculated it might have influenced the assessment of her financial solvency. She also refuted SHOT's claim that she was told entry was nearly impossible without a relative's invitation. Mishkevich clarified that she inferred this possibility herself by observing other passengers, some of whom had invitations but were still denied entry. She stated that SHOT "made up a lot as it pleased" and published the story without her consent, transforming a routine border check into a politically charged narrative suggesting Israeli authorities were rejecting Russians based on their currency.