Ukraine, Belarus accuse each other for blockade of Jewish pilgrims

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and Belarus traded angry accusations Wednesday over thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims who have remained stuck on their border after Ukraine denied them entry because of coronavirus restrictions.

Ukraine’s presidential office urged Belarusian authorities to stop issuing misleading signals to the ultra-orthodox Jewish pilgrims that they could eventually cross the border.

“We are asking Belarusian authorities to stop fueling the tensions on the border and refrain from spreading false encouraging statements that could leave the pilgrims with a feeling that the Ukrainian border might be opened,” it said. “Belarusian authorities have deliberately or unintentionally helped spread those rumors.”

Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz shot back at Ukraine, accusing it of “inhumane” treatment of the Jewish pilgrims.

Ukrainian authorities said about 2,000 Hasidic Jewish pilgrims converged on the border in hopes of crossing over and reaching the Ukrainian city of Uman.

The grave of an important Hasidic rabbi who died in 1810, Nachman of Breslov, is located in Uman. Thousands of the ultra-orthodox Jews visit the city each September for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

This time, however, Ukraine closed its borders in late August amid a surge in COVID-19 infections. Belarus, which shares a long border with Ukraine, hasn’t barred foreign visitors from entering.

As the Jewish pilgrims have gathered on the border, Ukraine has deployed additional forces to protect the frontier and sent aircraft and drones to patrol it.