Ukrainian authorities detained 113 Israeli citizens at the airport in Kiev on Tuesday and deported twelve of them back to Israel, Ynet reported.

The Israelis, who had flown into the country on a Ukrainian Airlines flight, were detained and questioned at the airport for several hours.

Twelve passengers were denied entry into Ukraine due to the fact that “they were unable to properly explain the purpose of their visit.”

The incident is likely related to the controversy surrounding Israeli visitors to Uman for Rosh Hashanah.

On Wednesday, Ukraine issued a temporary ban on Wednesday against the entry of foreign nationals into the country, apparently meant to thwarts tens of thousands of Jews from traveling to Uman ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)