A Jewish man was tear-gassed and injured in a Nazi-style hate attack outside a Kiev synagogue, sparking outrage across Ukraine’s Jewish community.
A shocking antisemitic assault rocked the Obolon district of Kiev on Saturday, when a group of young thugs attacked a Jewish worshipper outside a synagogue, sprayed him with tear gas, and fled the scene shouting Nazi slogans. The vile incident has ignited outrage and fear across Ukraine’s Jewish community.
Witnesses reported that the gang approached the synagogue hurling antisemitic insults and performing Nazi salutes, shouting “Sieg Heil” in a grotesque display of hatred reminiscent of Europe’s darkest days. When one of the worshippers stepped outside wearing a kippah and tzitzit, he was immediately assaulted and sprayed with tear gas from two canisters, leaving him with severe burns to his eyes and skin.
The United Jewish Communities of Ukraine (UJCU) condemned the attack, describing it as a “deliberate, cruel, and premeditated antisemitic act.” The organization revealed that the same perpetrators had been spotted near the synagogue the previous day, taunting Jewish congregants and shouting hate slogans — a chilling sign that the assault was carefully planned.
“Such events should not occur in a civilized world,” the UJCU declared, urging Ukrainian authorities to launch a full investigation and bring the attackers to justice.
The assault comes amid growing concerns about resurgent antisemitism in Eastern Europe, where extremist groups are exploiting wartime instability to spread neo-Nazi ideology and anti-Jewish incitement.
Jewish leaders have demanded stronger protection for synagogues and community centers, warning that tolerance for antisemitic violence anywhere threatens Jewish life everywhere.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry and Jewish organizations worldwide are closely monitoring the situation, calling the attack “a reminder that even in modern Europe, hatred of Jews still festers — and must be fought without compromise.”
