Ukrainian Army Drafts Israeli Resident of Ukrainian Origin at Border

An Israeli man, a "baal teshuva" (returnee to religious observance) originally from Ukraine and residing in Israel for many years, was drafted into the Ukrainian army after being detained at the Ukraine-Romania border. The 49-year-old man, who is an "avreich" (married student of Torah) and a resident of Beitar Illit, was returning to Israel after visiting Uman, Ukraine, for the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

According to reports, he was stopped at the border crossing and engaged in conversation with local soldiers in Ukrainian. During the interaction, border guards discovered he had an outstanding conscription obligation to the Ukrainian military. He was immediately taken for service and has been unreachable since, causing deep distress to his family in Israel. Community activists attempting to intervene have reportedly been unsuccessful in making contact or securing his release.

This incident is part of a series of unusual legal and security complications faced by Breslov Hasidim returning from Uman this year. In Moldova, two separate incidents occurred: one Hasid was arrested after a serious traffic accident that left a local citizen severely injured, with his detention extended for 40 days. In a separate case in Chisinau, another Hasid was apprehended with fake passports and is currently barred from leaving Moldova pending legal proceedings.

Additionally, a fourth Hasid was detained upon arrival in Cyprus. He had been flagged in the system due to a previous incident where a suitcase he had sent, filled with the stimulant plant khat, was seized by Cypriot authorities a year prior, though he himself did not board that flight.