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More than 1,000 Hasidic Jewish pilgrims still move between the Belarusian-Ukrainian border at one of the border crossings, losing hope of entering Ukraine for at least a few days, Ukrainian border guards said.
The pilgrims, most of whom came from Israel a few days ago, did not return despite Israel’s call to return today, and the Ukrainian government stopped all traffic at the Novi Jarilovich crossing in Chernihiv Oblast on Wednesday, and border guards on the Ukrainian side continue to be reinforced. .
The pilgrims have already undergone checks by the Belarusian border services and have left the country, so they are now waiting between the two borders, occasionally going to talk to the Ukrainian border guards to inform them that they cannot enter Ukraine. due to a quarantine virus outbreak. Pilgrims housed in buses and camped in tents spend the day praying, singing and dancing.
“These people were probably misled when the Ukrainian side issued information that the border would be closed to foreigners. The State Border Guard of Ukraine has also informed the neighboring party about this several times, ”said Volodomir Nyikiforenko, Deputy Border Guard of Ukraine, as quoted by Pravda of Ukraine. In a decree issued by the government of Ukraine on August 27, it closed Ukraine’s borders to foreigners from August 28 to September 28 due to the coronavirus epidemic.
Andriy Demchenko, a spokesman for the Border Guard, added: Pilgrims do not give up, constantly persuading border guards to let them enter Ukraine for at least a few days.
This year, on the night of September 18, the Jewish New Year begins, ending on the night of September 20. Every year, the Hasids celebrate a joyous dance celebration in the city of Uman, in the Cherkasy region of central Ukraine, and at the same time make a pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman, the founder of Breslav Hasidism.
“From the moment they arrive at the border, they constantly refer, without knowing from whom, the promise that they should be allowed to cross the border. The border guards explain the ban on foreigners every day, but they don’t accept it, ”Demchenko said.
The border guard is confident that he will keep the situation under control at the crossing. Ukrainian border guards help volunteers provide water, food and medicine to the pilgrims. (MTI)
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