On February 25, the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine, together with the Israeli Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV), handed over more than 100 backup power supply and energy independence systems to the Kyiv Regional State Administration.
According to the embassy’s press service, the handover ceremony was attended by the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, and the deputy head of the mission of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine, Mila Tsur.
“Hospitals must operate continuously. Schools and shelters must remain safe. Families must be able to stay in touch. Electricity is the foundation that allows communities to survive and recover,” Tsur emphasized.
Kalashnik thanked Israel for its support and assistance, noting that the portable power systems provided will help ensure the continuous operation of social institutions and support the residents of the Kyiv region in the event of power outages.
According to the embassy, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had a phone chat with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga about giving humanitarian aid to the Kyiv region because of the tough energy situation.
The statement also notes that on February 24, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Supporting sustainable peace in Ukraine,” initiated by Ukraine within the framework of the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly, and the State of Israel, among 107 other countries, voted in support of Ukraine.
In an exclusive comment to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukraine’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk spoke about evacuation routes from Israel for Ukrainians wishing to leave the country due to the deteriorating security situation in the region.
According to the diplomat, there have been direct hits in Israel, although few. In total, more than 10 people have been killed and about 130 wounded to varying degrees. The airport was closed at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. The embassy is constantly updating information on its website for Ukrainian citizens who are temporarily staying in Israel and have not yet managed to leave the country.
Kornichuk emphasized that it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the Israeli Home Front Command; constantly monitor official reports from local authorities and the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel; minimize movement and avoid places of mass gatherings; and find out in advance the location of the nearest shelters.
According to the diplomat, the embassy is keeping track of citizens seeking assistance in leaving the country, and at the moment, about 30 people have signed up for evacuation. He noted that the number of people wishing to leave will increase, so the embassy will try to organize group departures, in particular by booking buses to the Taba checkpoint (border with Egypt) at the expense of sponsors.
According to Korniychuk, private transport is still operating in the country, so Ukrainian citizens can evacuate independently. Currently, there are two routes available.
Route through Egypt – get to Eilat, cross the border on foot at Taba (open 24/7, crossing at any time). A valid Ukrainian passport (valid for at least 6 months) is required. If your stay in Egypt exceeds 14 days or you plan to travel from Sinai to Cairo, etc., you will need to purchase a visa for approximately $30 in cash. From Taba to Sharm el-Sheikh Airport – ≈160 km (shuttle buses or private taxi ≈$150).
The diplomat specifically clarified that charter flights from Sharm el-Sheikh are only available to those who arrived in Egypt on these same charter flights earlier. Independent departure does not guarantee boarding a charter flight. It is recommended to purchase only scheduled tickets.
The second evacuation route through Jordan is via the Allenby Bridge checkpoint. It takes 1.5-2 hours to get from Tel Aviv to the border. After crossing the border, it takes about an hour to get to Amman airport by car or bus (which run regularly).
However, during a conversation with the ambassador, additional restrictions became known. The Ukrainian Embassy in Jordan published a post stating that the Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority had announced a partial and temporary closure of Jordanian airspace to all aircraft (arrival, departure, transit). The closure is in effect daily from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day (local time), starting on the evening of March 2 and continuing until further notice.
Passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for schedule details and possible changes.
“The embassy continues to monitor the situation and update its recommendations on its official website,” he concluded.
Hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel: +972 54 667 67 82 (Viber, Telegram), email: consul_il@mfa.gov.ua
As reported, due to the escalation of the security situation in the Middle East and the threat of rocket attacks and assaults, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to the State of Israel until the situation stabilizes and reminds them of the current recommendation to refrain from traveling to the Islamic Republic of Iran and to leave its territory, which was announced in early January.
We recommend that all Ukrainian citizens in the countries of the region remain vigilant, closely follow the reports of the local competent authorities of the countries of stay, strictly observe security measures, and always carry identity documents with them.
On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint large-scale military operation against Iran (called “Lion’s Roar” in Israel and “Epic Fury” in the US). The strikes targeted military, missile, and nuclear facilities, as well as the country’s leadership. As a result of the attacks, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, along with a number of high-ranking officials, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the defense minister.
In response, Iran launched massive missile and drone strikes on Israel, as well as on US military bases and facilities in the Persian Gulf countries (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan). There have been civilian casualties in Israel (including nine people killed in Beit Shemesh by a direct ballistic missile strike), wounded US military personnel, and significant damage to infrastructure.
The price of gold and other precious metals rose sharply on Monday due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
By 9:57 a.m. ET, April gold futures on the Comex exchange rose about 3.3% to $5,418 per ounce.
Silver futures rose 3.3% to $96.38 per ounce, and platinum futures rose 2% to $2,422 per ounce.
As reported, on Saturday, the US and Israel launched military action against Iran. They carried out more than a thousand missile strikes on Iranian cities, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and a number of Persian Gulf countries. In particular, residential areas of the capital of Bahrain were affected, and damage to a number of hotels and the airport in Dubai was reported.
Meanwhile, the price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange jumped nearly 3% on Monday to $3,231 per ton. It is noted that Iran’s neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, are major aluminum producers. According to AZ China, the Middle East accounts for about 9% of global production of this metal.
Earlier, the Experts Club analytical center presented an analysis of the world’s leading gold-producing countries in its video on YouTube channel — https://youtube.com/shorts/DWbzJ1e2tJc?si=BywddHO-JFWFqUFA
EXPERTS CLUB, GOLD, IRAN, ISRAEL, USA
According to Fixygen, the escalation around Iran, including strikes by the US and Israel and Tehran’s subsequent response, has been a factor in increased volatility in the cryptocurrency market: Bitcoin fell below $64,000 on the news, while Ethereum fell even further.
At the same time, markets reassessed the risks to commodities and inflation expectations. In particular, Barclays allowed for Brent to rise to $80 per barrel in the event of significant supply disruptions amid tensions between the US and Iran. Against this backdrop, some investors shifted to defensive assets: some materials noted an increase in interest in tokenized gold amid a decline in BTC and ETH.
Possible scenarios: with further escalation and increased oil risks, the crypto market may remain in risk-off mode with increased volatility for longer; with de-escalation and a return of risk appetite, a rebound is likely; if sanctions and payment restrictions are expanded, demand for stablecoins may increase, but compliance risks for infrastructure will also grow.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry urges citizens to refrain from traveling to Israel and Iran due to the escalating security situation in the Middle East and the threat of missile attacks.
This was reported by the Consular Service Department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Facebook on Saturday.
Due to the escalating security situation in the Middle East and the threat of missile attacks, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from traveling to Israel until the situation stabilizes. It also reminds citizens of the current recommendation to leave Iran, which was announced in early January.
Citizens who are already in countries in the region are advised to remain vigilant, closely follow official reports, and always carry identification documents with them.
Israel will provide communities in the Kyiv region, which is suffering from Russian shelling of energy infrastructure, with 117 mobile generators, according to Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky.
“Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had a telephone conversation with Rabbi Meir Stambler, head of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU). The conversation took place on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Brodsky wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.
According to him, during the conversation, Minister Saar informed the rabbi that on February 25, Israel would transfer 117 mobile generators to the Kyiv region.
During the conversation, Minister Saar inquired about the situation in Ukraine and the condition of the country’s Jewish communities, and wished them a happy Purim holiday.
