- March 17, 2025
- 12:22 pm
- Israel
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs removed Israeli blogger Nik Kolyehin from press conferences with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar after his question, which later became part of “Russian propaganda.” The Kremlin used this incident to attack Israel.
The Israeli publication The Seventh Eye (העין השביעית) published an investigation on March 16, 2025 titled “Gideon Saar fell into the Kremlin’s propaganda trap.”
“The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs removed from participation in the weekly press conferences of Minister Gideon Saar (Israeli – ed.) a blogger, who used the platform to spread pro-Russian propaganda.
The blogger Nik Kolyehin often appears on television channels associated with the Putin regime, and even ran a covert influence campaign in Israel funded by Russia.
This incident caused embarrassment for Foreign Minister Saar and was used to mock him and Israel on Kremlin propaganda channels, as well as in official Russian government publications.”
This incident, which occurred in early March 2025, led to loud remarks in both Russian and Israeli media and was used by the Kremlin to manipulate public opinion.
We wrote about this case – “Russian media and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are once again trying to teach Israel how to ‘properly’ remember the Holocaust — Gideon Saar responded with dignity”
The site The Seventh Eye (העין השביעית) is an Israeli independent media resource specializing in journalism and investigations in the field of media and its activities. It provides criticism and analysis of Israeli media, as well as deals with issues of press freedom, transparency, and journalistic ethics. The site often publishes materials about the political and social aspects of journalism, as well as covers problems related to the media industry in Israel.
How it happened: Kolyehin at the press conference
The incident took place at a press conference organized for foreign journalists, where Nik Kolyehin, presenting himself as a “freelance journalist”, asked Minister Gideon Saar about the so-called “glorification of Nazi war criminals in Ukraine”.
This is part of the ongoing Kremlin propaganda, which claims that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is aimed at “denazification” of the neighboring country, ignoring the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish.
Gideon Saar, unprepared for such a question, inquired about what it was referring to, received “clarification” from Kolyehin, condemned anti-Semitism, neo-Nazism, and Holocaust denial, and then stated that he would look into it and, if necessary, issue an official condemnation.
Quote:
“Kolyehin himself repeated the official messages in a series of videos that he spread on Facebook and TikTok, where he complained about the ‘shameful silence’ of Yad Vashem and other ‘government bodies and institutions’ and boasted that now — thanks to the question he asked Saar — ‘all the media in Russia and other parts of the world are buzzing and churning.'”
Kremlin’s Response: Using the Incident for Propaganda
After the minister’s response, Maria Zakharova, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, wrote on her Telegram channel: “Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that he knew nothing about the glorification of Bandera in Ukraine. What is the Israeli embassy in Kyiv doing? Maybe they’ve never reported this to Jerusalem?” Zakharova attached links to materials supporting the allegations and suggested Saar review them.
Russian press quickly picked up on these statements. Articles on the subject appeared in Russia Today, Izvestia, RIA Novosti, and pro-Russian internet channels, accusing Israel of not responding to events in Ukraine, and Minister Saar was publicly mocked.
Israel’s Response: MFA Removed Kolyehin
Quote:
“What did Saar say about this? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not give an official comment, but soon after the incident, it was decided to prohibit Kolyehin from participating in press conferences for foreign press.
Kolyehin reported this in a message he sent to his colleagues and also complained about being removed from the WhatsApp group for journalists managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The official reason he was given is that he is not a foreign journalist, as he also appears in Israeli media. However, according to him, the real reason was the question he asked Saar.”
The article includes a screenshot of the message:
Translation (NAnews):
“Hello, dear colleagues,
I’m curious if it makes sense to you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel has banned me from participating in briefings for foreign media and removed me from the official WhatsApp group for foreign journalists at the MFA, citing that I also freelance for Israeli media, in addition to my main work with international news outlets.
I think the real reason for my ban was the question I asked the Israeli Foreign Minister last week regarding Israel’s position on the national glorification of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych in Ukraine (they are glorified by naming major streets after them, building monuments, introducing names of public transport in their honor, and even opening museums dedicated to their ‘legacy’).
Nik Kolyehin”
Pro-Russian Campaigns in Israel
This incident was not the first in Kolyehin’s activities.
Quote:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware that Kolyehin’s activities in spreading pro-Russian messages did not begin at that press conference. Last year, the site ‘The Seventh Eye’ revealed that Kolyehin ran a covert campaign on behalf of a ‘Journalist Organization’ from Moscow that specializes in spreading propaganda in international media. The campaign was posted on the websites of ‘Walla’ and ‘Jerusalem Post’ by tycoon Eli Azour, while the involvement of the Russian organization was hidden. Another campaign, posted on Channel 13’s site, was removed from the network at the request of ‘The Seventh Eye’.”
Quote:
“In a conversation with him, Kolyehin explained that representatives of the organization met him during a trip to Russia and persuaded him to cooperate. ‘They asked me to connect them with media in Israel because it is very difficult to do so in Western media, which have been sharply against Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine,’ he claimed. At the same time, he denied that the content was ‘pro-Russian,’ and said he would sue anyone who called him a ‘Russian agent.’
Despite these denials, two later studies described Kolyehin’s publications as part of an external information operation aimed at influencing public opinion in Israel, supported by a global disinformation campaign called ‘Doppelganger’. A well-known aspect of the ‘Doppelganger’ operation was the duplication of real news sites and the use of fake platforms to spread Russian propaganda using the reputation of media organizations.”
It is important to emphasize that Kolyehin positions himself “as a journalist, not as a propagandist.” He previously worked as a reporter for Channel 10, and then started collaborating with ‘Xinhua’, the news agency of the Chinese communist regime, and with ‘Newsmax’, a pro-Trump American television network. Additionally, he frequently gives interviews to Russian television channels associated with the Kremlin.
Quote:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided not to give an official comment on this matter. However, despite the silence, it seems that Minister Saar and his staff listened to the criticism from the Russian dictatorship: a week later, Yuval Fox, the deputy director-general of the MFA, was sent to a video conference with the Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov. In a statement released by the Russian embassy after the meeting, it was indicated that the meeting was used to clarify the need to address the issue of ‘unacceptable glorification of Nazi collaborators in Ukraine’. The Israeli MFA’s backflip was completed.”
Kremlin Propaganda in Israel
This incident also shows how the Kremlin uses media manipulation to spread its propaganda abroad, including in countries like Israel, where there is a significant Ukrainian community. The Kremlin is trying to influence public opinion by manipulating divisive issues and interfering in the politics of other countries.
Importance for Israelis and Ukrainian Jews
For citizens of Israel, especially those with Ukrainian roots, it is important to understand how Russian propaganda uses existing connections and divisions to further weaken Ukraine’s position and fight against support for this country in Israel.
Conclusion: Impact on International Relations
In this situation, Israel must maintain its independence in decision-making and resist external pressure, especially on such important issues as relations with Ukraine. As a country with deep historical and moral ties to Ukraine, Israel must be cautious not to fall victim to information attacks aimed at undermining its positions on the global stage.
NAnews News of Israel will continue to monitor the developments of the situation and their impact on the relations between Israel and Ukraine.
