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Number of Russian Jews down sharply in last decade, pre-Ukraine war census reveals
(JTA) — An exodus of Jews from Russia since President Vladimir Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine has drawn widespread attention over the last year. But according to statistics released recently by Russia’s official statistics bureau, the country’s Jewish population had fallen sharply long before the tanks began rolling.
The statistics, published last month by Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service, showed that just 82,644 people identified themselves as Jews on the national census, conducted in 2021.
Another nearly 2,000 people identified with related categories such as Mountain Jews (from Azerbaijan and the Caucasus Mountains), Israelis living in Russia, Georgian Jews, Bukharian Jews (from Uzbekistan and Central Asia), Karaites and Krymchaks (from Crimea), according to the Russian-Jewish news outlet Lechaim.
In contrast, Russia’s previous census, conducted in 2010, showed nearly 160,000 people who identified as Jews or belonging to the the related groups — suggesting a decline by more than half over the last decade. During the same period, Russia’s total population grew by 3.5%.
The only Jewish groups that did see a rise, according to Lechaim.ru, were Karaites — a seventh-century breakaway sect from rabbinic Judaism — and Krymchaks. Both populations have been historically concentrated in the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, meaning that they would not have been part of the 2010 census at all.
The numbers do not account for the mass exodus of Russian Jews since the onset of the war in Ukraine, estimated to be more than 20,000 in the first six months after the invasion. The exodus suggests that Russia’s Jewish population could total fewer than 60,000 people.
A majority of the Russian Jews who left appear to have emigrated to Israel. According to the Jewish Agency, which facilitates immigration to Israel, some 66,800 Russians made aliyah between 2010 and 2019. The group is facing sanctions over its work in the country, as part of Putin’s crackdown on foreigners in retaliation for Russia’s isolation on the world stage since initiating the unprovoked war.
The flood of Russians and Ukrainians making their way to Israel in the last year has triggered a conflict there over immigration rules that permit anyone with a Jewish grandparent to claim citizenship. Those rules mean that not all of the new immigrants from Russia were likely to have identified as Jewish on the country’s census.
There could be other Russian Jews who were not captured by the census. Lechaim noted that 17 million people left their nationality blank or identified themselves as having no nationality — a move that Jews, whose national identity can be complicated in whatever country they live, might be inclined to make in a country with a relatively recent history of state antisemitism.
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The post Number of Russian Jews down sharply in last decade, pre-Ukraine war census reveals appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Egypt Accuses Israel of Daily Ceasefire Violations
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty attends a joint press conference with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Cairo, Egypt March 1, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
i24 News – At the Doha Forum, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called for the expedited deployment of an international stabilization force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip.
He argued that without such a presence on the ground, Israel is able to “violate the ceasefire every day,” while placing similar responsibility on Hamas.
Abdelatty urged that the ISF be positioned along the “Yellow Line,” the boundary established after Israel’s October 10 withdrawal that divides Gaza between Israeli-held territory and areas controlled by Hamas.
According to him, this proposal is gaining support among countries that might contribute troops, especially since many reluctant to deploy deep inside western Gaza’s “red zone.”
He emphasized that Egypt envisions a peacekeeping mission, not a peace-enforcement operation. Abdelatty suggested disarmament of Hamas could only be realistic if it occurred voluntarily, which he described as unlikely under current conditions.
During the forum, US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack stirred controversy by asserting that “Israel can claim it’s a democracy but in this region, what’s worked the best, whether you like it or you don’t like it, is a benevolent monarchy.”
Critics interpreted the remark as a challenge to democratic governance models in the Middle East and a tacit endorsement of authoritarian-style rule. Finally, Abdelatty also addressed the status of the Rafah crossing, closed since May 2024. He accused Israel of imposing unacceptable terms by allowing only one–way passage, enabling Palestinians to exit but not return. Egypt, he said, rejects any plan that reduces Rafah to “a gateway for displacement or expulsion.” Only medical evacuations should be permitted, and those evacuated must be allowed to return once treated.
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Report: Iran Abandoned Assad Two Days Before the Fall of His Regime
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad attends the Arab League summit, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 19, 2023. Photo: Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – A Syrian military officer who had coordinated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards told AFP on Sunday that “Tehran abandoned Bashar al-Assad two days before the collapse of his regime.”
“We knew the situation was serious, but not at this level,” the officer said.
According to the report, following the fall of Aleppo to rebel forces, Iran halted its military involvement in Syria and evacuated approximately 4,000 fighters from the area.
The remarks follow an announcement by the United Nations on Friday stating that more than 1.2 million Syrian citizens have returned to the country over the past year, following the end of Assad’s rule.
Bashar al-Assad served as Syria’s president from 2000 until December 8, 2024, when he reportedly departed Damascus shortly before opposition forces entered and seized control of the capital. He later sought refuge in Russia. Assad has been widely accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the civil war that began in 2011, during which large numbers of civilians were killed or injured, including through the Syrian army’s use of chemical weapons.
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South Africa Revokes Visa-Free Access for Palestinians After Controversial Gaza Flight
Anti-Israel protesters march through the streets of the township of Lenasia in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ihsaan Haffejee
i24 News – South Africa has canceled its long-standing visa exemption for Palestinian passport holders following an investigation into a charter flight that brought 153 Gazans into Johannesburg without valid documentation.
Authorities say the operation was likely exploited by actors connected to Israeli “voluntary migration” initiatives.
Interior Minister Leon Schreiber told reporters that national security agencies determined there had been “deliberate and ongoing abuse” of the 90-day visa waiver.
The passengers, who arrived via Kenya, were neither tourists nor holders of tickets purchased independently. Investigators said the trip had been arranged by intermediaries who appeared ready to “abandon” the travelers upon arrival.
Authorities are also examining a similar case from October. Schreiber emphasized that revoking the exemption is “the most effective way to prevent the repetition of such flights” while ensuring that legitimate Palestinian travelers can visit South Africa safely. He added, “South Africa will not be complicit in any scheme aimed at exploiting or displacing Palestinians from Gaza.”
The decision follows widespread controversy over the charter flight, which reportedly held passengers onboard for 12 hours in difficult conditions before they were allowed entry. Some officials have pointed fingers at Israel for its role in the operation.
South African media reports identified the organization Al-Majd, linked to Israeli-Estonian national Tomer Yanar Lind, as the orchestrator of the transfer. The passengers were said to have traveled from Rafah to Israel’s Ramon Airport before flying via Kenya on a charter operated by the Romanian airline Flyyo. Many reportedly paid around $2,000 for the journey.
Little is publicly known about Al-Majd. Its website, registered only in February, contains information considered unreliable, and the organization’s claims of providing humanitarian assistance in East Jerusalem have not been independently verified.