Is it true that the Ukrainian army used the synagogue in Uman for military purposes?

On March 30, photographs appeared in a number of Russian media, Telegram channels and social networks, allegedly proving the use of a synagogue in the city of Uman as a collection point for weapons and Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. We decided to check whether the Ukrainian army really turned the synagogue into a military facility.

At the morning briefing on March 30, 2022, official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov did the following statement: “The Russian Ministry of Defense has repeatedly exposed the cynical lies that the Kiev nationalist regime uses to maintain its power in Ukraine and mislead the world community. For example, on March 20, President Zelensky, speaking in a video address to the Israeli Knesset, accused Russia of allegedly striking the city of Uman, Cherkasy region. To enhance the dramatic effect, Zelensky stated, and I quote, “this is a place that tens of thousands of Israelis visit every year for pilgrimage.”

I would like to emphasize that during a special military operation, the Russian armed forces do not strike civilian targets. Especially for places of worship and any other places of public worship. It is the Kiev regime, in violation of international humanitarian law and simply moral norms, that uses such facilities as collection and transportation points for weapons and Nazis to participate in hostilities. Today we present evidence received from one of the members of the Jewish community of Uman that the Zelensky regime uses for these purposes the building of the new city synagogue, located in Shosseiny Lane, building 1. Photographs taken on March 21, that is, the day after Zelensky’s speech in the Knesset, record the formation of two columns with nationalists on the territory of the synagogue.

Please note that the property, weapons and ammunition stored in the synagogue building were first loaded by nationalists into the backs of dump trucks and then disguised as bags of construction waste. At the same time, to transport nationalists and foreign mercenaries from the western regions of Ukraine, as can be clearly seen in the photographs, buses are used that are painted as school vehicles with the corresponding “Children” signs. Thus, the object of Jewish cult in Uman is deliberately used by the Kyiv nationalist regime for military purposes, so that in the event of fire on it, provoke a conflict and political pressure from Jewish religious organizations on Russia.”

The above-mentioned photos, or rather, screenshots of recordings from an external video surveillance camera, were also published, for example, “RIA Novosti", "Channel One", TV channel "Star", "Vesti.Ru", "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" and Telegram channel "Military Corps of the Russian Spring".

The images do show a synagogue building in Uman, with a number of military personnel nearby. Buses and a truck with some bags in the back were also photographed at different times of the day. However, in all the photos, the gates to the site and the doors of the synagogue are closed, and there is not a single person on the premises of the building.

In addition, the United Jewish Community of Ukraine officially statedthat all synagogues and Jewish facilities in Ukraine are used exclusively for their intended purpose, for carrying out religious activities or helping members of Jewish communities and the local population. The Rabbi Nachman Foundation in Uman also confirmed that this synagogue (the second largest in Ukraine) has been closed since Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year), which was celebrated back in September 2021, and has not been used since then.

Exclusively for the Verified editors, the head of the Jewish rescue organization Hatzalah Ukraine, Rabbi Hillel Cohen, recorded his comment directly from the synagogue building in Uman. According to him, the Jewish community provides only humanitarian support to the population, but is in no way connected with the military. Below is his full comment and video of the appeal.

“Today, March 30, publications appeared that here, in this holy synagogue in Uman, military items are kept, that it is being used for military purposes. This is not true, this is fake. And we, the Jewish community, feel very sorry for this. We have nothing to do with these military actions at all. There are many synagogues in Uman, there are many synagogues throughout Ukraine, and we were never asked to hold any weapons or anything similar, [asked] only for humanitarian assistance. Please don't believe this fake news. These are holy places, and we pray for a united country, for a united Ukraine. We pray for peace. And we ask everyone: check any information, check any source that feeds you [lies]. We are very sorry that such holy places are used for politics, for war. And we pray that all Ukrainian refugees will return home soon, including all Jewish communities. We are already waiting for your return."

We cannot yet answer the question of why the Ukrainian military appeared next to the synagogue in the photographs obtained by the Russian Ministry of Defense. It is possible that the Ukrainian Armed Forces used for their own purposes nearby buildings that do not belong to the territory of the synagogue. However, no weapons and ammunition were definitely stored in the synagogue building in Uman.

Image: screenshot from a video by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Source

Not true

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2. Fake news about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 2
3. Fake news about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 3
4. Fake news about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 4
5. Fake news about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 5