40 'Israelis' detained in Moscow; Russia denies mistreatment
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- 'Israeli' Foreign Ministry confirmed that 40 citizens were detained for questioning at a Moscow airport.
- Reports indicate travelers were questioned about the Iran-'Israel' conflict and had their phones examined.
- Russian Ambassador to 'Israel' rejected the allegations and criticized 'Israeli' border practices.
'Israeli' Foreign Ministry confirmed that approximately 40 'Israelis' were detained during passport control at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow late Monday. Following the incident, Tel Aviv issued a travel warning advising 'Israeli' citizens against visiting Russia.
According to reports, the passengers, who included children and individuals with dual citizenship, were held for about five hours and questioned by Russian authorities.
Security officials reportedly examined the travelers’ mobile phones and asked questions related to the ongoing conflict between Iran and 'Israel'.
Reports indicated that during the questioning, border officials told the passengers that Iran is an ally of Russia and that Iran’s enemies are considered “enemies of Russia.” The officials also allegedly informed the travelers that their visit to Moscow was “not desired.”
Russian ambassador rejects claims
In a separate statement, Russian Ambassador to 'Israel' Anatoly Viktorov rejected the reports, describing them as "carbon-copy statements."
Viktorov stated, "I categorically reject the carbon-copy statements circulated in the media about 'detentions' and 'interrogations' of Israelis, about denying them access to restrooms, and about allegedly politically motivated questions from Russian border guards".
Comment by Ambassador of Russia to Israel Anatoly Viktorov in connection with reports circulated by Russian-language Israeli media about "incident" involving the Israelis arriving at Moscow Domodedovo Airport on April 19, 2026
— Russia in Israel (@israel_mid_ru) April 21, 2026
I categorically reject word-for-word statements…
The ambassador defended Russian procedures by comparing them to 'Israeli' border practices. He stated that the methods employed by Russian border service officers are "incomparable to what sometimes happens at Ben-Gurion Airport, both upon arrival and departure."
Viktorov expressed Russia's readiness to continue a professional dialogue with 'Israel' regarding mutual travel. However, he emphasized that this dialogue should address the rate of entry denials to 'Israel' for Russian citizens, which he said has remained at an "unacceptable level of 2.5% for several years."
Ambassador of Russia Anatoly Viktorov with Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Yuval Fuchs.
The diplomat concluded that the current denial rate is inconsistent with the generally constructive nature of Russian-'Israeli' relations and the interests of citizens from both countries.
