The European Union announced a fresh raft of sanctions against individuals and entities linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including a Moscow-born former Israeli diplomat and prominent commentator for espousing pro-Russian views, public broadcaster Kan reported Sunday morning.
Yaakov Kedmi — who previously served as the head of Nativ, Israel’s liaison group to Jews in the former Soviet Union — makes regular appearances on Russian television in which he justifies the Kremlin's policies and pushes claims that Ukraine is run by Nazi sympathizers.
According to an EU statement, Kedmi defined the Ukrainian government as Nazi and his support for Russia's policies "endangers its territorial integrity."
Speaking to Kan in an interview, the 74-year-old cast the decision as a "cheap attempt" to silence him.