Ukrainian soldiers injured in the war with Russia will be flown to Israel for treatment for the first time, according to a report by Ynet on Sunday.
Israel was reportedly under heavy pressure from Kyiv to provide treatment, the report stated, and it agreed to receive 20 Ukrainian soldiers who were seriously injured in combat. They will undergo rehabilitation at Sheba Medical Center.
Israel will receive for treatment 20 Ukrainian servicemen who were seriously wounded during the war. The first 2 will arrive in Israel today, and will be treated at @AFSMC The treatment includes prosthetics and rehabilitation. @IsraelinUkraine @MASHAVisrael @IsraelMFA @IsraelMOH
— Michael Brodsky (@michael_brodsk) September 25, 2022
"Israel will receive for treatment 20 Ukrainian servicemen who were seriously wounded during the war," Israel Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky tweeted on Sunday. "The first 2 will arrive in Israel today and will be treated at @AFSMC. The treatment includes prosthetics and rehabilitation."
Ukraine has long pressured the Israeli Ministry of Health and Minister Nitzan Horowitz to allow its soldiers to receive treatment in Israel, and Horowitz engaged in discussions with his Ukrainian colleagues about the issue, according to Ynet.
"Israel will receive for treatment 20 Ukrainian servicemen who were seriously wounded during the war."
Israel Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky
Before this announcement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he was “shocked” by Israel’s lack of support for the Ukrainian war effort.
Previous Israeli medical care to Ukraine
Instead of Ukrainians being sent to Israel, Israeli medical professionals had flown to Ukraine to treat the wounded from the war.
Approximately a month into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Sheba Medical Center prepared a field hospital, named Kohav Meir (Shining Star) in western Ukraine for Ukrainian forces. The hospital was named after former prime minister Golda Meir, who was born in Ukraine.
The field hospital initiative in Ukraine by Israel lasted about six weeks, where the hospital with over 60 of Sheba's medical staff treated over 6,000 patients.