Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced Israel’s recent military operations against Iran, according to a statement from the Kremlin on Friday. This condemnation followed individual phone calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The Kremlin’s announcement indicated that Putin “emphasized Russia’s disapproval of Israel’s actions, which contravene the UN Charter and international law.” He also expressed to Netanyahu his “willingness to act as a mediator to help avert further escalation of tensions.”
Furthermore, the Kremlin reiterated Russia’s dedication to “addressing the present situation, which poses significant risks for the entire region.”
Earlier on Friday, Russia had already expressed its disapproval of Israel’s attacks on its ally, Iran.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated, “Unprovoked military strikes against a sovereign state that is a member of the UN, targeting its citizens, peaceful cities, and nuclear energy facilities are absolutely unacceptable.”
It also remarked, “The global community cannot ignore such acts of aggression, as they endanger peace and destabilize both regional and international security.”
The ministry added, “What makes this situation particularly cynical is that these Israeli assaults occurred during a session of the IAEA Board of Governors and just before another round of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States.”
Russia’s Embassy in Israel “strongly advised” Russian nationals to refrain from traveling to Israel and urged those already there to leave if possible.
Additionally, Russian diplomatic offices in Iran and Egypt issued travel warnings, advocating for caution in light of concerns over potential further Israeli strikes and possible counterattacks from Iran.
In response to airspace restrictions and safety issues, major Russian airlines, including Aeroflot and Red Wings, announced flight cancellations and changes to their schedules across the Middle East on Thursday.
Subsequently, Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, prohibited the country’s airlines from flying over the airspace of Israel, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until June 26.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the nocturnal operation, named “Rising Lion,” as an effort to “mitigate the Iranian threat to Israel’s very existence,” warning that the military campaign could extend over “several days.”
Reports from AFP contributed to this information.
