Russia warned Israel against recognizing Holodomor as genocide
A Russian diplomat warned Israel about approving a proposed bill on the official recognition of the Holodomor in Ukraine as genocide, as indicated in a comment to a local radio station by the Deputy Russian Ambassador to Tel Aviv, Leonid Frolov, Radio Liberty reports.
"This is not the best time to discuss this proposal ... It will be bad, it will be a wrong step," he said.
Earlier, a bill to recognize the Ukrainian Holodomor as genocide was filed for consideration by the Israeli parliament (Knesset ). The document was submitted by a member of the Centrist party, which is a part of the ruling coalition, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The bill is also proposing to declare December 6th as a "Day of Remembrance of the Ukrainian Genocide" in Israel.
In November 2006, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognized Holodomor (man-made famine) of 1932-1933 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. For decades, the genocide was denied in the Soviet Union, the legal successor of which is present-day Russia. Ukraine, citing data from the scientific and demographic expertise, claims that the total number of human losses from the Holodomor of 1932-33 is 3.941 million people, and the loss of Ukrainians in the unborn is 6.122 million people.
To date, 24 countries have recognized the Holodomor in Ukraine as a genocide.