Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke in St. Petersburg on Friday, saying, among other things, that "I have many Jewish friends from childhood and they say that Zelensky is not Jewish and that he is a disgrace to the Jewish people."
Putin added that Russia could have destroyed parts of central Kyiv but chose not to do so. "These attempts to damage the Kremlin, the presidential residence, the attacks on the Belgorod region and neighboring areas, all an attempt to provoke Russia to strong reprisals," he said.
Russia's president Putin: "I have many Jewish friends since childhood, they say Zelensky is not a Jew -- this is a shame for the Jewish people." pic.twitter.com/9zuhbSOOsT
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) June 16, 2023
Putin's remarks come against the backdrop of the approval of the Russian embassy in Israel, which confirms Israel Hayom's revelation that it will establish an official diplomatic branch in Jerusalem. The move will be taken as part of Moscow's traditional position recognizing West Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
A statement from the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv said this morning: "On May 18, the Russian Federation and the Jerusalem Municipality, with the assistance of the Russian Embassy and the Foreign Ministry of Israel, signed a compromise agreement and its protocol for clarifying the boundaries of the territory and the Russian plot of land in West Jerusalem.
Putin and Netanyahu (archive), photo: Spokesperson's Office of the Israeli Embassy in Russia
"The signing of these documents was the result of a long process initiated by the Russian Foreign Ministry. We assume that the said land property will be used, in particular, for the construction of a complex of buildings and structures used for the purposes of the Consular Section branch of the Russian Embassy in Israel. We believe that this step fully serves the interests of further strengthening the multifaceted friendly relations between Russia and Israel, and is consistent with our country's unchanging trajectory towards a fair settlement in the Middle East," the Russians wrote.
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