- December 25, 2025
- 11:23 am
- Ukraine, Video
“We perfectly understand who benefits from news reports about anti-Semitism in Ukraine appearing in the news feeds,” – Head of the Jewish community of Chernihiv.
On the night of December 22, 2025, on the last day of the Hanukkah holiday, unknown individuals toppled a Hanukkiah installed near the city drama theater in the center of Chernihiv. Nearby, an inscription with crude anti-Semitic content and calls for the violation of citizens’ equality was left.
A criminal investigation team from the Chernihiv district police department arrived at the scene. An investigation has been launched into the incident, and law enforcement agencies are identifying those involved.
The city’s Jewish community emphasizes that the incident cannot be considered a domestic incident or a random act of vandalism.
The head of the Jewish community of Chernihiv, a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Chevan, commented to Ukrainian Radio Chernihiv, stating that he is convinced of the political nature of the incident.
He noted that the menorah has been installed at the drama theater for at least 12 years, and such incidents have not occurred before.
«I am more than convinced that this action was not some spontaneous hooliganism. After all, in many cities of Ukraine, Hanukkah menorahs are lit peacefully in central squares, which perhaps some people do not like — I don’t know — but at least I have not seen or heard of any similar acts.
And this is not only in the cities of Western Ukraine, which are in a relatively better, safer state. There are the same frontline Sumy, where, please, the Hanukkiah was lit in the city center with the participation of the administration, as it was before.
So those who want to find a reason to express their anti-Semitism or something else — they will always find it. We perfectly understand who benefits from news reports about anti-Semitism in Ukraine appearing in the news feeds now. We understand this perfectly», — says Oleksandr Chevan.
According to him, an organized external trace may be behind the incident.
«There was a certain message. This is already an absolutely political dimension of this action.
What do you think, who could be behind this? Or perhaps, it was done with the participation of curators from Russia — just as they set fire to military enlistment offices, military vehicles, just as someone was hired by the Russians through Telegram for a certain amount of money to simply topple the Hanukkiah, and that’s it».
Chevan separately emphasizes: the installation of the Hanukkiah in Chernihiv was not accompanied by mass events that could be perceived as a provocation.
«Only a representative of the Jewish religious community himself, in fact, lit the candles — and that’s it.
The community did not even gather. So, you understand, nothing can be attributed in terms of security or provocations, and so on».
The head of the Jewish community also reminded of a fundamental point, which, according to him, is often ignored in such discussions — about the equality of civil duties and rights in wartime conditions.
«When a person is mobilized in Ukraine, they are not asked if they are an ethnic Ukrainian. There is only one question: “Are you a citizen of Ukraine?”.
Therefore, a citizen of Ukraine fulfills their constitutional duties and defends their state, of which we are citizens. Do you understand?
And if in terms of constitutional duties we are all equal, then let’s ensure that in the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution — in particular, the right to freedom of religion — we also have equality».
The incident also received a diplomatic reaction. The Ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, Yevhen Korniychuk, reported on December 23 that a criminal case was opened on the fact of desecration of the Hanukkiah under the article on the manifestation of national hatred. He noted that he immediately contacted the National Police of Ukraine and representatives of the Ukrainian-Israeli friendship society. The investigation continues.
It is important to emphasize: in other cities of Ukraine during the days of Hanukkah, public ceremonies of lighting Hanukkah candles took place daily and without any incidents. Despite martial law and the need for special permits, thousands of believers participated in them, as well as representatives of central and local authorities, including Kyiv.
Against this background, the incident in Chernihiv does not look like a local conflict but as a targeted provocation with an obvious informational calculation. The reaction of the police, diplomatic structures, and the Jewish community itself demonstrates that such actions do not go unanswered — a position consistently reflected by NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.
