A former Russian president and key ally to President Vladimir Putin warned Israel against sending weapons to Ukraine.
Dmitry Medvedev, currently deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, on Monday said that Israel would destroy its relations with Russia if it sent weapons to Ukraine.
"It seems Israel will supply weapons to the Kyiv regime. A very reckless move," Medvedev wrote on Telegram, The Times of Israel reported. "It will destroy all diplomatic relations between our countries."
Medvedev's comments came shortly after waves of explosive-laden suicide drones struck Ukraine's capital, setting buildings ablaze and sending people scurrying for shelter or attempting to shoot down the kamikazes — a week after Russia unleashed its most widespread strikes against the country in months.
Drones used in the attack appeared to include Iranian-made Shaheds.
On Sunday, an Israeli minister called for Jerusalem to send military aid to Ukraine, though there has been no official statement from Israel about sending military aid.
"This morning it was reported that Iran is transferring ballistic missiles to Russia," Diaspora Minister Nachman Shai tweeted. "There is no longer any doubt where Israel should stand in this bloody conflict. The time has come for Ukraine to receive military aid as well, just as the USA and NATO countries provide."
Russian state-owned Sputnik News tied Medvedev's comments directly to Shai's statement.
Shai, a longtime Labor member of the Knesset, is unlikely to return to Israel's legislature in the Nov. 1 elections, the Times said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have pressed Israel for military assistance since Putin began Russian's unprovoked attack on Feb. 24.
Israel has sent repeated shipments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but has rebuffed Kyiv's repeated requests for defense weapons.
Zelenskyy said that Israel had given Ukraine "nothing" to help it defend itself.
"Israel gave us nothing. Nothing, zero," Zelenskyy told France's TV5Monde, the Times reported. "I understand they are in a difficult situation with Syria, with Russia.
"I understand they need to defend their land, but then I got information from my intelligence services that Israel provides [the air defenses] in other countries. They can sell, they can export, which is why I am shocked."
Israel's refusal to send weaponry to Ukraine is seen as an attempt by Jerusalem to maintain working ties with Moscow, due to Russia's control of Syrian air space, the Times reported.
Israel's air force has carried out hundreds of sorties in Syrian air space against alleged Iranian arms shipments.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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