ZELENSKY WANTS ISRAEL NEGOTIATING IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR.

 ZELENSKY WANTS ISRAEL NEGOTIATING IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR.

West warns Russia’s fresh demands could lead to collapse of Iran talks-Britain, France and Germany say ‘nobody should seek to exploit JCPOA negotiations’ after negotiations halted-By AFP-mar 12,22-Today, 10:50 pm

PARIS, France — Britain, France, and Germany warned Saturday against moves to “exploit” the Iran nuclear negotiations — a tacit warning to Russia, which is accused of delaying an agreement to gain leverage in its invasion of Ukraine.Negotiators in Vienna said Friday they had halted talks despite having almost sealed a deal to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to contain Iran’s nuclear activities.The setback came after Russia said it was demanding guarantees that the Western sanctions imposed on its economy following its invasion of Ukraine would not affect its trade with Iran.“Nobody should seek to exploit JCPOA negotiations to obtain assurances that are separate to the JCPOA,” said a statement on Saturday from the spokespersons for the British, French, and German foreign ministries — the three European parties to the negotiations.“This risks the collapse of the deal, depriving the Iranian people of sanctions lifting and the international community of the assurance needed on Iran’s nuclear program,” they added.The current round of negotiations started in late November in the Austrian capital Vienna between Britain, China, France, Germany, Iran, and Russia, with the US taking part indirectly.After the talks halted on Friday, the US put the ball in Iran and Russia’s court.“We are confident that we can achieve mutual return to compliance… [if] those decisions are made in places like Tehran and Moscow,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, told reporters outside the talks venue that he rejected “attempts to put all the blame on the Russian Federation,” insisting that other parties to the talks “need additional time.”The JCPOA aimed to ensure Iran would not be able to develop a nuclear weapon.It unraveled when former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018. Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting it to start disregarding the curbs laid down in the deal on its nuclear activity.“A fair and comprehensive deal is on the table ready for conclusion,” the European statement said on Saturday.“It is our understanding that Iran and the US have worked hard to resolve final bilateral issues and so we are ready to conclude this deal now.”

Ukrainian embassy appeals to High Court to block Israel’s refugee cap-Law firm argues current policy violates bilateral agreements and international treaties, and that Interior Minister Shaked made decisions without the proper authority-By TOI staff-mar 12,22-Today, 10:21 pm

Ukraine’s embassy in Israel appealed to the High Court of Justice on Saturday against Israel’s policies limiting the entry of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, arguing that the move violated international agreements between the nations as well as international conventions to which Israel is a party, and was not made with proper authorityThe embassy hired Israeli attorney Tomer Warsha to file the suit. Warsha’s law firm called on the High Court to immediately issue an injunction blocking the new policies and forcing the government to allow Ukrainians in.In a statement, Ukrainian Ambassador Yevgen Korniychuk said the embassy’s appeals to Israeli authorities had been “ignored and left unanswered,” and that he had turned to legal means due to “exhausted diplomatic possibilities.”According to a prior visa waiver agreement between Israel and Ukraine, Ukrainians can visit Israel for up to three months without any need for a permit. However, the Israeli government has essentially thrown out this accord since Russia invaded Ukraine and refugees began streaming out of the country.This week, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked said the country would allow some 20,000 Ukrainians who were residing in the country illegally or were on tourist visas before the invasion to remain, while also granting permits to a further 5,000 non-Jewish refugees escaping the war. All Jewish Ukrainians are allowed in and given citizenship under the Law of Return.Shaked said Saturday night that the 5,000 cap had almost been reached.Critics inside and outside of the country have slammed the policy as woefully insufficient.Around 200 Ukrainian refugees have been turned away after arriving at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport, Channel 12 reported Friday. And dozens more were being housed at a hotel, forbidden to leave as their requests were being reviewed.Warsha said Shaked’s decision violated bilateral agreements between the countries, and that the minister was not authorized to take such action on her own — rather, it necessitated a cabinet decision or Knesset deliberations.In a letter to the court, Warsha’s law firm also alleged the move violated international conventions on refugees.In an interview with Channel 13 news Saturday, Shaked insisted that determining immigration policy was under her “clear authority” and responsibility.But she added that Foreign Minister Yair Lapid was a “partner” in the decision to cap the number of non-Jewish Ukrainians allowed to stay in Israel.“We built this proposal together,” she said.Korniychuk said Friday that Israel is not doing enough to support Ukraine by providing defensive aid, absorbing refugees, and taking a clear stance against Russia, accusing Jerusalem of being “afraid” of Moscow.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not” understand Israel’s refusal to provide defensive equipment, such as helmets and flak jackets, to Ukraine, Korniychuk said in a briefing with reporters.“I, as an ambassador, do,” understand Israel’s position, “but our president does not,” Korniychuk said at his Embassy’s Cultural Center in Tel Aviv.Russia has “a few airplanes and anti-missile systems in Syria… and you are afraid,” Korniychuk charged.”And at the same time, let me point you to Baltic states that have a joint border with the Russian Federation. And they don’t care, they bring everything they could to Ukraine, they’re not afraid,” referencing NATO countries who are supplying Ukraine with weapons to resist the invasion.Israel has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including 100 tons of medical and cold-weather equipment flown out of Ben Gurion Airport last week. However, it has sought to walk a tightrope to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, the latter of which maintains a military presence in Syria and is negotiating Iran’s return to a nuclear deal.Shaked defended her refugee policy on Friday, as dozens protested outside the airport with signs reading “a Jew does not expel a refugee.”“Contrary to criticism, the vast majority of those who came to Israel were allowed to enter and stay here until the [war] passes,” Shaked wrote in a Facebook post.“At the same time, any sane person understands that the tiny nation-state of the Jewish people cannot be a substitute for the various European countries, including Ukraine’s neighbors, who have opened their borders generously [to refugees],” she said.Over 2 million Ukrainians have fled the war, with the majority going to neighboring Poland. Millions more are internally displaced.The treatment of those arriving at Israel’s borders and awaiting permission to enter has caused an uproar.Footage aired by Channel 12 on Thursday showed large numbers of people inside one of the airport’s terminals, with young children sleeping on the floor and on a baggage carousel, as well as an elderly woman being treated after apparently fainting.Some of the refugees were said to be waiting to enter the country for several days, without being given adequate food or a suitable place to rest. Footage aired by the TV network Thursday showed many people, young and old, sitting in plastic chairs, laying on thin mattresses, or resting on the terminal floor itself.Authorities have since moved those people whose entry has not yet been authorized to the aforementioned hotel.“Those images did not go over my head,” Shaked said, adding that she had spoken with “the relevant authorities to take care of the issue.”The Population and Immigration Authority said that the mass of people and their treatment was due to several flights bringing refugees to the airport at the same time, causing congestion for officials.Immigration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata said that the situation at the airport was unacceptable and that she had brought it up with Shaked.“I recommend that the interior minister should demand answers and lead her teams, reinforce them… so that there will be food, water, diapers, everything they need,” she said. “This is something we cannot accept.”Tamano-Shata expressed further displeasure with the treatment of the refugees during a cabinet meeting on Thursday, saying: “It’s shameful. It’s causing chaos for us in the world,” according to transcripts published by Channel 12.“It makes no sense that in the Jewish state, a woman and her daughter arrive from Ukraine and would not be able to take a shower for three days due to immigration policy,” Ben Gurion Airport director Shmuel Zakai was quoted as saying.An official from the Population and Immigration Authority at the cabinet meeting claimed that Israel does not want to let through some of those who have arrived, since “if they get in, they won’t leave.” Following the 2014 war between Ukraine and Russia, thousands of Ukrainians came to Israel, with many staying illegally after their visas expired.Following the release of the reports about the airport conditions, Channel 12 reported that Shaked has instructed for a permanent representative to be present at the airport, who will contact people on their way to Israel and ensure that those who arrive are eligible to enter and have all the documents needed.

Russia threatens to target Western arms shipments to Ukraine-Comments by Russian deputy foreign minister come after US Senate approves $13.6 billion in aid to war-torn country-By Agencies-mar 12,22-Today, 4:01 pm

Russia on Saturday said its troops could target shipments of Western weapons in Ukraine, where the Russian army has been advancing since late February.“We warned the United States that the orchestrated pumping of weapons from a number of countries is not just a dangerous move, it is a move that turns these convoys into legitimate targets,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state television.He said Moscow had warned “about the consequences of the thoughtless transfer to Ukraine of weapons like man-portable air defense systems, anti-tank missile systems and so on.”Ryabkov said Washington had not taken Moscow’s warnings seriously and added that Russia and the US were not holding any “negotiation processes” on Ukraine.He also denounced the US sanctions against Moscow as an “unprecedented attempt to deal a serious blow to various sectors of the Russian economy,” but noted that Moscow will act in a measured way to avoid hurting itself.Ryabkov said that Russia has no intention to expel Western media and businesses amid the soaring tensions with the West, adding that ”we aren’t going to escalate the situation.”The US Senate on Friday approved $13.6 billion in aid for Ukraine which will go towards arming and equipping the country along with the Pentagon’s costs for sending American troops to other Eastern European nations skittish about the warfare next door.Much of the rest included humanitarian and economic assistance, strengthening regional allies’ defenses, and protecting their energy supplies and cybersecurity needs.An unprecedented $350 million in emergency military aid announced in late February has already been delivered to Ukrainian forces in the form of Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and portable Javelin anti-tank missiles.

Zelensky calls on world leaders to demand release of abducted Melitopol mayor-Ukrainian leader says Russia sending additional soldiers to Ukraine after suffering ‘worst losses in decades’; urges Moscow to uphold humanitarian ceasefire in Mariupol-By Agencies-mar 12,22-Today, 4:01 pm

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Saturday on the leaders of France and Germany to help secure the release of the mayor of Melitopol who Kyiv says was abducted by invading Russian forces.“During the night and today, we are talking to our partners about the situation with our mayor. Our demand is clear: he must be released immediately… I have already phoned [German] Chancellor Olaf Scholz. I have spoken to [French] President Emmanuel Macron… I will speak to all the necessary people to get our people released,” Zelensky said in a video released by the Ukrainian presidency.“We appeal to all world leaders who speak to Moscow – France, Germany, Israel, and others,” he said.“We expect world leaders to show us how they can influence the situation,” Zelensky added.According to the Ukrainian president and parliament, mayor Ivan Fedorov was abducted on Friday by Russian soldiers occupying Melitopol, a town in southern Ukraine halfway between Mariupol and Kherson, because he “refused to cooperate with the enemy.”According to the Ukrainian parliament, the mayor was arrested while at the city’s crisis center tackling supply issues.In this today's video from the occupied #Melitopol city in #Zaporizhzhya province you can see how in the middle of the day the #Russian soliders kidnap Ivan Fedorov, a mayor of the city. Video shared by the Ukraine presidential office (Kyrylo Tymoshenko). [Thread⬇️] pic.twitter.com/ei5cykbSYP — Victor Kovalenko (@MrKovalenko) March 11, 2022-Zelensky said 2,000 Ukrainians demonstrated in Melitopol on Saturday against the Russian invasion and to demand the release of their mayor.“Do you hear, Moscow? If 2,000 people demonstrate in Melitopol against the occupation, how many are there in Moscow against the war?” he said in his video.Before the Russian invasion began on February 24, Melitopol had a population of just over 150,000.In Melitopol, defiant residents gathered near occupied district administration demanding that Russians release the kidnapped Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov – video by Odessa reg governor Maksym Marchenko pic.twitter.com/nCrE6OtQd0— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) March 12, 2022-In the video statement, Zelensky said Russia was sending additional troops due to “great losses” in its war on Ukraine“The Russian troops are suffering great losses. We could even now talk about the greatest blow to the Russian troops in tens of years,” he said.Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, said Saturday that Russian Maj. Gen. Andrei Kolesnikov was killed in action during the fighting over Mariupol. He would be the third Russian general to die in the war, according to Ukrainian officials.Kolesnikov’s death wasn’t confirmed by the Russian military, which has kept a tight lid on information about its losses. Previously, unofficial Russian sources confirmed the death of one Russian general.The death of Maj. Gen. Andrei Sukhovetsky, the commanding general of the Russian 7th Airborne Division, was confirmed by his colleague and the officers’ association in southern Russia. The death of another general, Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov, wasn’t confirmed by any Russian sources.Zelensky urged Russia to uphold an agreed ceasefire to allow evacuations to proceed from the besieged port city of Mariupol, after blaming Moscow for the failure of previous attempts.Zelensky’s comments came after earlier Saturday, the Elysee confirmed that Macron and Scholz held new talks with Putin about the war in Ukraine.The three leaders had already spoken by telephone on Thursday when both Macron and Scholz had “demanded an immediate ceasefire by Russia.”Since meeting Putin in the Kremlin on February 7, Macron has had nine phone calls with the Russian leader, his office said.

Says some 1,300 Ukrainian troops killed in fighting so far-Zelensky suggests Jerusalem host negotiations between Ukraine, Russia-At briefing to reporters, Ukrainian president says Israeli PM can play ‘an important role’ in efforts to end war-By TOI staff-mar 12,22-Today, 5:03 pm

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested on Saturday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war could be held in Jerusalem.The Ukrainian leader also told media he believed Israel could provide security guarantees for his country, and said he hoped Prime Minister Naftali Bennett would have a positive influence on negotiations.Zelensky spoke at a special briefing for reporters from Kyiv, under heavy guard.“We generally support mediation by anyone,” he said in an answer to a question about Israel’s potential role, posed by a reporter for Haaretz. “But I wouldn’t call Prime Minister Bennett ‘anyone.’ You can play an important role because Israel is a country with a rich history.”Zelensky added that Ukrainian immigrants were among Israel’s founders, “who brought with them their history and their desire to build a great country, as it is now. So it’s not bad at all for us to have such mediation.”He said he told Bennett he did not believe negotiations could take place in Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus.“These are not places where we can come to any understandings on ending the war — I’m not talking about technical meetings but meetings between leaders. I believe Israel can be such a place, especially Jerusalem. I think so, and I said this to Bennett.”Channel 12 cited unnamed Israeli government sources as saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was considering the proposal but “it’s premature to assess its chances.”Zelensky said his government assessed that some 1,300 Ukrainian troops had been killed in the fighting so far. He insisted that Russian losses were far higher.He also said Russia “will conquer Kyiv only if they kill all of us. They’ll need to live in a world without us. They won’t find friends among Ukrainians.”Speaking to Channel 12 news, Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky, who is temporarily back in Israel, said of Zelensky’s remarks: “The idea to hold a summit in Jerusalem has also been raised before. If it can contribute, I think we of course must agree and take the idea forward.Brodsky added: “The question is not really where but what. If we get to the ‘what,’ then of course there can be a meeting in Jerusalem. There can be a meeting anywhere, but Jerusalem has symbolic significance, and I think President Zelensky is referring precisely to that significance.”Asked how the city was significant in this context, Brodsky said: “As a city of all the faiths. A city where individuals and people of different faiths live in coexistence. A city that is equally important for Ukrainians and Russians.”Earlier in the day, a top adviser to Zelensky denied a report that Israel had pushed the Ukrainian leader to accept an offer from Putin that would see Kyiv make significant concessions to end Russia’s invasion.Mikhail Podolyak tweeted that Bennett did not urge Ukraine to agree to the Russian demands, as was reported Friday by two Hebrew-language outlets.Bennett, Podolyak wrote, “just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation.“This is impossible for military & political reasons,” he added.Podolyak said that Israel has urged Russia “to assess the events more adequately.”Israel has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to try to end the war in Ukraine, with Bennett traveling to Moscow last Saturday for an hours-long meeting with Putin. He was the first foreign leader to sit down with the Russian president since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.PM of ???????? @naftalibennett, just as other conditional intermediary countries, does NOT offer Ukraine to agree to any demands of the Russian Federation. This is impossible for military & political reasons. On the contrary, Israel urges Russia to assess the events more adequately.— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) March 12, 2022-The Haaretz and Walla news sites did not specify on Friday the details of Putin’s offer as reportedly conveyed by Bennett, but previous reports from Walla said that the Russian leader was demanding an independent Donbas region, stopping short of seeking regime change in Ukraine.Other reports have suggested that the plan Bennett brought to Zelensky includes recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea, recognizing Donetsk and Luhansk as separate entities, and changing the Ukrainian constitution to rule out joining NATO.“Bennett has proposed that we surrender,” an unnamed senior Ukrainian official told the Israeli news sites Friday. “We have no intention of doing so. We know that Putin’s proposal is just the beginning.”The prime minister’s office denied the reports. A source in the Prime Minister’s Office said Friday, “It is doubtful whether this is a senior official who is in Ukraine and on [Bennett’s] call [with Zelensky], since it took place on a private line.”The PMO source denied that Bennett told Zelensky to take Putin’s offer, “as Israel does not have such an offer.”“In any case, the prime minister does not intend to give Zelensky recommendations or advice on how to act at any stage,” the source told Walla. “The conversation between the two was long and positive and included the possibility of a meeting [between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators] in Jerusalem.”Israel has long had good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, and has been seeking to use its position to broker an agreement as it also tries to walk a tightrope maintaining its ties to both countries. But its relationship with Kyiv has strained as Bennett has avoided directly blaming Russia for the war, although Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has done so.The unnamed Ukrainian official was quoted in the Hebrew reports soon after Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, gave a press conference at which he urged Israel to drop its neutrality and side openly with Ukraine. He noted that Bennett was not the only mediator, and claimed Israel was “afraid” of offending Moscow.Ukraine has repeatedly pushed Israel for more support since Russia launched its invasion. But Israel has been seeking to avoid antagonizing Russia, which has a strong presence in Syria, where Israel carries out military action against Iran-linked groups.According to a Channel 12 report on Friday, Israel has begun considering Ukrainian requests for some defensive equipment, such as helmets and flak jackets.

Saudis execute 81 for terror-related crimes, in largest mass execution on record-Riydah says convicts were ‘found guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes,’ included people linked to Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and other terror groups-By Agencies-mar 12,22-Today, 6:03 pm

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia said Saturday it executed 81 people in one day on a variety of terrorism-related offenses, exceeding the total number of executions in the kingdom in the whole of last year.All had been “found guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported, saying they included convicts linked to the Islamic State group, or to al-Qaeda, Yemen’s Houthi rebel forces, or “other terrorist organizations.”They had been plotting attacks on vital economic sites, or had targeted or had killed members of the security forces, or had smuggled weapons into the country, the SPA added.Of the 81 people, 73 were Saudi citizens, seven were Yemeni and one was a Syrian national.“The accused were provided with the right to an attorney and were guaranteed their full rights under Saudi law during the judicial process, which found them guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes that left a large number of civilians and law enforcement officers dead,” SPA said.“The kingdom will continue to take a strict and unwavering stance against terrorism and extremist ideologies that threaten the stability of the entire world,” the report added. It did not say how the prisoners were executed, though death-row inmates typically are beheaded in Saudi Arabia.The wealthy Gulf country has one of the world’s highest execution rates.The kingdom’s last mass execution came in January 2016, when the kingdom executed 47 people, including a prominent opposition Shiite cleric who had rallied demonstrations in the kingdom.Saturday’s announcement marks the kingdom’s highest number of recorded executions in one day, and more than the total of 69 executions in all of 2021.The executions carried out surpassed even the toll of a January 1980 mass execution for the 63 militants convicted of seizing the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 1979, the worst-ever militant attack to target the kingdom and Islam’s holiest site.It wasn’t clear why the kingdom chose Saturday for the executions, though they came as much of the world’s attention remained focused on Russia’s war on Ukraine.The number of death penalty cases being carried out in Saudi Arabia had dropped during the coronavirus pandemic, though the kingdom continued to behead convicts under King Salman and his assertive son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Ukraine photos claim to show downed Russian drone with Israeli origin-Moscow’s Forpost reconnaissance UAV is produced under license from the Israel Aerospace Industries; it was sold to Russia in 2015-By TOI staff-mar 12,22-Today, 6:09 pm

Photos circling on social media over the past two days purport to show the remains of a downed Russian drone in Ukraine derived from an Israeli aircraft.The photos, the authenticity of which has not been verified, show the ruins of a Forpost drone, including a plaque bearing the name of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).The Forpost is a reconnaissance UAV, produced by Russia under license based on the IAI Searcher. Such licenses were sold to Russia in 2015, and the country is believed to operate several dozens of such drones.Israel’s Searcher is considered to be a relatively old model, developed in the 1980s.The use of Israeli-linked weaponry by Russia is a somewhat sensitive issue, as Ukraine continues to urge the Jewish state to provide it with military aid to fend off the Russian invasion of the country.Israel has provided humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including 100 tons of medical and cold-weather equipment flown out of Ben Gurion Airport last week. However, it has sought to walk a tightrope to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, the latter of which maintains a military presence in Syria and is negotiating Iran’s return to the 2015 nuclear deal.Russia lost a Forpost drone in Zhytomyr. pic.twitter.com/qxY8J6WbeD— MrRevinsky (@Kyruer) March 11, 2022-Ukraine has been publicly pleading for Israel to provide it with protective gear, but has so far been rebuffed.A Channel 12 report Friday said Jerusalem had begun considering Ukrainian requests for some defensive equipment, such as helmets and flak jackets.Earlier Friday, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “does not” understand Israel’s refusal to provide defensive equipment, as he accused Israeli leaders of not doing enough to help Ukraine by providing defensive aid, absorbing refugees, and taking a clear stance against Russia.
 
After criticizing Ukraine war, speculation that Russian TV host fled to Israel-Ivan Urgant’s popular late-night talk show was taken off the air shortly before Russia invaded its neighbor-By Tobias Siegal-mar 12,22-Today, 10:06 pm

Russia’s most popular late-night talk show host, Ivan Urgant, who has been dubbed Russia’s version of American television host Jimmy Kimmel, is believed to have fled to Israel with his family following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Urgant’s talk show, which has aired daily since 2012 on Russia’s state-run Channel One, was taken off the air on February 21, only three days before Russian troops invaded Ukraine, in what commentators say was a result of his anti-war views.On February 24, the popular comedian posted a pitch-black square to his Instagram account, followed by more than 10 million people, alongside the caption “Fear and pain. No to war” in Russian — a slogan that has since been heard in anti-war protests across Russia.While the timing of the canceled show is conspicuous, Russia’s state-run broadcaster has rejected claims Urgant’s talk show was canceled due to his views. According to statements issued by the channel, Urgant’s show had been “temporarily” taken off the air to allow more news-related airtime.Whatever the reason behind the canceled show may be, Russian media has speculated that the Jewish comedian, who reportedly holds Israeli citizenship, has fled to Israel with his family, fearing potential persecution by the state.Shortly after Moscow invaded Ukraine, Russian officials threatened journalists and independent media with severe implications if their statements or coverage of the invasion deviated from the official narrative dictated by the Kremlin.Violating these terms could lead to anywhere between 3-15 years in prison, depending on the consequences of the shared information.Russia’s biggest late night talk show host, Ivan Urgant, disappeared from public view after criticizing the war on day 1. And that, people, is Cancel Culture. pic.twitter.com/gs5WCxCnvC— Dr. Ian Garner (@irgarner) March 5, 2022-Attempting to locate the popular TV host, BBC Russia tried calling his cellphone but reached a voicemail message in Hebrew, according to a report by Israel’s Channel 12.According to the reports, Urgant and his family arrived in Israel several days ago.Urgant visited Israel before as part of his work, according to Channel 12, documenting life in the Jewish state, home to more than 1 million Russian-speaking Israelis.In 2020, he hosted Israeli pop singer Netta Barzilai on his show.Urgant himself has neither confirmed nor denied the reports of his supposed trip to Israel.Addressing the widespread rumors of his abrupt disappearance, on Friday he posted a picture of himself alongside the caption: “Don’t panic. They let me go on vacation, but I’ll be back soon.”Urgant is not the only Russian celebrity to publicly speak out against the war in Ukraine. Others include pop star Valery Meladze, television presenter Ksenia Sobchak, comedian and television presenter Maxim Galkin, and comedian Alexander Gudkov.