Rav of Kyiv HaRav Yonasan Markovitch fled the city overnight Monday, together with about 15 other Jews.

HaRav Markovitch was determined to remain in the city to assist the Jews too frail to leave but had no choice to flee with a heavy heart after Ukrainian authorities determined that he and his family members were in immediate danger.

Rav Markovich crossed into Romania on Tuesday morning and is continuing to Budapest, Hungary, where he will join Jews from Kyiv who fled there earlier.

The Rav explained to Walla News on Tuesday morning that Kyiv is under an almost complete siege. “The Russians are preventing the entry of food and fuel so there are severe shortages in the city. I left with mixed feelings and a heavy heart. I still don’t know if I did the right thing.”

According to the report, the Rav was told to flee due to fears of Chechen collaborators and mercenaries who fought in Syria, who are infiltrating the city of Kyiv to provoke terror among the civilian population and create chaos ahead of Russia’s takeover of the city.

On Tuesday afternoon, Russian troops warned residents of Kyiv that it is about to attack the infrastructure of Ukraine’s security services in the city and urged residents to leave, AFP reported.

“We call on… Kyiv residents living near relay nodes to leave their homes,” defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)