Explosion in Kharkov Rattles Ukrainian Jewry
An explosion on Sunday rocked a peaceful demonstration in the eastern city of Kharkov, Ukraine, killing three people and injuring nearly a dozen others. The march celebrated one year since the events last February at Maidan Square in Kiev, which led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, who is now in exile in Russia.
The bombing has put the already vulnerable city on edge.
“The situation is worse than ever,” said Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz, the city’s chief rabbi and head Chabad-Lubavitch emissary. “People are very worried.”
Kharkov has been the scene of a number of recent attacks, including one on Oct. 19, when a military warehouse was hit by grenades; another on Nov. 9, when a bomb made of plastic explosives blew up at a pub popular with local pro-Ukraine activists, injuring 13; and two other explosions—one at a furniture store on Rymarskaya Street in the city center, which harmed no one, and another at a courthouse, which injured 14 people, four seriously.
Last April the city’s Jewish mayor, Gennady Kernes, a former ally of Yanukovych, survived an assassination attempt after switching his support to the new Ukrainian government.
“Before this attack, it wasn’t always certain who was responsible for the bombs. This one was very clear,” explained Moskovitz. “This was much more sophisticated.”
Ukraine’s Security Services (SBU) announced Sunday that they had arrested four people in connection with the blast, claiming they had all been trained for the attack in Russia. A citywide moment of silence in memory of the bombing’s victims was observed on Monday.
Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkov sits only 40 kilometers from the Russian border, yet it has avoided the war that has engulfed much of eastern Ukraine. Still, the city is rife with rumors and intrigue. Talk of a buildup of troops in nearby Belgorod, Russia, just over the border—with all that might signify—is not unusual.
“Right after the attack here, I got phone calls from community members asking if we’re canceling our annual Purim event at the circus,” said the rabbi. “All of our programs will be going forward as planned, but it shows you how seriously people are taking this.”
Second Year of Instability
Ukraine’s currency has lost more than 50 percent of its value since the beginning of 2015—barely eight weeks ago—after having lost nearly 50 percent the year before.
Moskovitz noted that while the Kharkov Jewish community has continued operating, including dispensing food daily at its soup kitchen, distributing food and medical aid, and operating its schools, synagogue and various Jewish programs, there is a feeling that the community stands alone on the front lines. “I wish I could say we are getting a lot of help from the outside world, financial and otherwise, but the truth is we’re not. We feel very alone.”
The explosions that have gripped Kharkov have led to numerous false alarms as well, with jittery citizens reporting suspicious packages wherever they see them, causing subway and street closings, and further rattling the city.
As Ukraine enters its second year of instability, Moskovitz said local Jews are becoming tired at facing the unknown day after day. “Every time it calms down, we think it might stay that way. It’s been relatively quiet for a few weeks, so people were a bit surprised when this happened, but they’re getting more and more pessimistic. More people are considering leaving for Israel, that’s for sure. It’s a year already that we don’t know what’s going to be tomorrow, and as each day goes by, people are losing hope.
“We always try to be optimistic and urge everyone to pray for the best,” he acknowledged, “but the truth is that right now, the feeling here is not good.”
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