Kiev stabbing victim arrives in Israel
Mordechai Molojyenov attacked by 15 skinheads after leaving his yeshiva; suffering from serious head injury, broken bones, damaged lung. CEO of AeroSvit Airlines, which sponsored the victim’s flight to Israel so he may receive best possible treatment, says, ‘We cannot stand by when a Jew is attacked on account of his ethnic origin’
Mordechai Molojyenov, the Jewish youth who was attacked ten days ago by skin heads in Kiev, Ukraine, arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital Monday.
Molojyenov, 32, was attacked by 15 skinheads after leaving the Trotsky synagogue in the city, and is suffering from serious head injury, broken bones, and a damaged lung. He has arrived in Israel unconscious, but stable.
His mother, Yelena, arrived in Ukraine a few days later to oversee her son’s treatment.
"I'm going with great sadness, my son is struggling for his life," she told Ynet before leaving for Kiev with her sister Tatiana.
"I do not wish upon anyone to lose their child like this," she said. "I have no idea what state he is in. I have a charming, quiet son who would never do anything bad to another person."
Yelena said at the time that the doctors taking care of her son - who is married with a child - say they do not know if he will make it.
"It is too soon to say whether he will live, the doctors are not prepared to commit to anything. His situation is defined as very serious, but stable," she said. "Every synagogue is praying for him. I want to believe he will live and I don't want to think about other possibilities."
Patient moving his limbs
Shimon Mostovoy, CEO of AeroSvit Airlines, decided to assist in flying the Molojyenov for further treatment in Israel in a bid to save his life. After an Ichilov doctor examined Molojyenov during the weekend, a special air ambulance flew the victim to Israel.
“We cannot stand by when a Jew is attacked on account of his ethnic origin,” Mostovoy said.
Dr. Philip Beiderman arrived in Kiev last Thursday to assist the local medical team in their treatment of Molojyenov.
“He was in very serious condition; unconscious and in shock. We altered his treatment in order to stabilize him so we would be able to fly him to Israel and give him the best possible treatment,” he said.
“The neurological condition of the patient has improved. He has begun to move his limbs and is responding to pain, but we need to treat the infections he has developed in the meantime. He will have to undergo surgery to the bones in his face.”
Meital Yisor Beit-Or contributed to this report
