Azov fighter hugs Hasidic pilgrim in Uman during Rosh Hashanah celebrations — Photo of the Week
It’s an image that will have Russian propagandists and Western “useful idiots” who have fallen for Kremlin propaganda scratching their heads.
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Reuters photographer Vladyslav Musiienko captured the moment of a friendly conversation between a soldier of the Azov National Guard regiment and a Hasidic pilgrim who arrived from Israel to celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, in Uman, Cherkasy Oblast on Sept. 16.
The soldier, who is Jewish and who has the call sign Rabbi, came to Uman from the front line for a day for the celebrations.
The Azov soldier has a chevron on his sleeve with a Star of David on the background of a red and black flag, along with a Ukrainian flag and an Azov Regiment insignia.
Read also: Russia spreads fake news about alleged terror plot in Uman, Kyiv says
The red and black flag is associated with Ukrainian nationalists, whom Russian propagandists claim are neo-Nazis, while the Azov Regiment has been branded as neo-Nazi by Russia.
The Azov Regiment (known as the “Azov Battalion” was indeed associated with the far-right when it was formed as a volunteer unit in 2014, and some of its insignia are based on common far-right symbols.
However, following its incorporation into Ukraine’s National Guard, the regiment’s leadership insists that it is non-political.
In another photo Musiienko posted on his Facebook page, the Hasidic man kisses Rabbi’s chevron. "Weekdays and holidays of the 'Ukrainian Nazis,’" the author ironically captioned the photo, alluding to Russian propaganda tropes.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, which this year fell on Sept. 15-17.
The grave of Tzadik Nachman at the Jewish cemetery in Uman is a place of pilgrimage for Hasidim from all over the world. Every year they come there to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
According to the National Police of Ukraine, in 2023, despite the war unleashed by Russia, some 32,000 pilgrims visited Uman.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
