Ukraine protests planned Russian hockey exhibition in Ashdod

Ukraine's embassy in Israel sent a letter to Culture Minister Miki Zohar opposing a hockey game in Ashdod featuring Russian participants, including a sanctioned official, warning it could be used for propaganda.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Israel sent an unusual letter to Culture Minister Miki Zohar demanding an examination of a festive ice hockey game in Ashdod involving senior Russian officials, fearing it could be exploited for Russian propaganda. At the center of the protest is a Russian figure subject to international sanctions, although the embassy does not claim that their participation violates Israeli law, but demands an examination of the possible legal implications. The letter details five demands for review: the identity of the organizers and sponsors, sources of funding, possible ties to Russian state institutions, the participants' status regarding sanctions, and the political implications of the event. The Ukrainians fear that Russia will use the event to present an image of international acceptance and erode Moscow's political isolation, especially as Ukraine works to maintain international pressure on Russia.