In war-torn Kyiv, Elkin-led Israeli delegation confronts familiar threats while marking Babyn Yar

An Israeli delegation led by MK Ze'ev Elkin visited Kyiv for the 85th Babyn Yar memorial. During the visit, President Zelensky warned that growing Russia-Iran drone cooperation could eventually threaten Israel. The delegation spent a night in a shelter as missiles struck the capital, highlighting the absence of an Israeli-style air defense system in Ukraine. The visit carried symbolic weight, as remembrance of a historical catastrophe took place while Europe experiences another major war.

An Israeli delegation led by MK Ze'ev Elkin visited Kyiv this week for the 85th anniversary of the Babyn Yar massacre, where Nazi forces murdered tens of thousands of Jews in 1941. The visit unfolded against the backdrop of an active war, with the delegation spending Tuesday night in a makeshift shelter as ballistic missiles and drones targeted the Ukrainian capital. Unlike in Israel, there is no Iron Dome-style air defense system in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the delegation and warned that the drones Iran is developing jointly with Russia, combined with operational experience gained in Ukraine, could eventually become a threat Israel will have to confront. Elkin, who was born in Kharkiv in 1971, delivered his remarks at the Babyn Yar ceremony in Ukrainian, a gesture Zelensky highlighted, joking that Elkin's grammar and pronunciation were better than those of some Ukrainian ministers. The delegation also held a memorial ceremony for the victims of the October 7 massacre together with the Jewish community and the Israeli Embassy. Ukrainian officials expressed a clear desire for improved bilateral relations. The visit carried symbolic weight, as remembrance of a historical catastrophe took place while Europe experiences another major war.