KYIV โ A Jewish man wearing a kippah was sprayed with tear gas outside a synagogue in Kyiv on Saturday, suffering severe irritation and burns to his eyes and skin, the local Jewish community and police said.
The incident occurred in the Obolon district at about 3 p.m., according to a statement from the Kyiv Jewish Community in Obolon and posts shared by Chabad Kyiv. Witnesses said a group of young men approached the synagogue and began shouting antisemitic slogans and performing Nazi salutes. When one congregant stepped outside, the youths sprayed him with tear gas from two canisters and fled.
The victim required medical attention for severe burns and irritation to his eyes and exposed skin. Community leaders described the assault as targeted and deliberate. Chabad Kyiv called the episode a brutal and premeditated antisemitic act that desecrated the sanctity of Shabbat and left worshippers shaken.
Police in Kyiv said they are investigating the circumstances and are attempting to identify the assailants. The Kyiv police told local media they had launched inquiries after the synagogue community posted footage and accounts of the attack on social media. Authorities are determining the legal classification of the act and collecting evidence.
Jewish organisations and community representatives in Ukraine and abroad condemned the assault and urged prompt action. The United Jewish Communities of Ukraine described the attack as a deliberate act of hate and called on law enforcement to ensure accountability. International Jewish groups reiterated the need for robust protections for Jewish life in Ukraine.
Eyewitness accounts and community posts indicate the same group had earlier appeared near the synagogue on Friday, shouting antisemitic slogans and harassing worshippers, which the community said suggested the Saturday attack was planned. That pattern reinforces concerns among Jewish leaders about rising street-level antisemitism and intimidation in the area.
The attack has reignited calls for stronger local protections for Jewish sites and for improved policing around houses of worship. Community advocates said synagogues must be able to operate without fear. They urged Kyiv authorities to step up patrols, to identify the perpetrators, and to pursue criminal charges that reflect the hate motive.
Experts and Jewish leaders say incidents that combine physical assault with Nazi gestures and slurs are especially traumatic for survivors and the wider Jewish population. They stressed that such acts are not only a crime against an individual but also an attack on the broader community and on the right to practice religion freely.
Ukraineโs Jewish communities have faced a range of security challenges in recent years. Community organisations said they will continue to work with law enforcement and international partners to improve security measures, to document incidents, and to press for legal consequences for perpetrators. They also called for public condemnation from civic and political leaders to make clear that antisemitism will not be tolerated.
The Obolon synagogue community asked anyone with video or photographic evidence to share it with police and community leaders to assist the investigation. The synagogue said it would continue to hold services and to stand firm in the face of intimidation.
This article is based on verified information from Ynet, The Jerusalem Post, UNN, Chabad Kyiv, and the United Jewish Communities of Ukraine.