March 7, 2014 – Ten Wounded Ukrainian Democracy Protesters Airlifted to Israel for Medical Treatment
(Source: Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
TEL AVIV (JTA) – For 17-year-old Bolodimir Bedyuk, a Ukrainian who was severely wounded in clashes with Ukrainian police on Feb. 18, Israeli medical care may be his only hope.
After a pitched battle with Ukrainian police forces on Institutskaya Street in Kiev, Bedyuk suffered chest wounds and extensive liver damage — his brother Aleksei said Bolodimir’s liver “was torn practically in half.” In that confrontation, Ukrainian police forces advanced with automatic weapons on protesters, leaving dozens dead.
While Kiev and its environs have been relatively peaceful since the chaos of Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, hundreds are still suffering from wounds incurred during clashes with riot police operating on behalf of the country’s then president, Victor Yanukovych.
But thanks to the effort of volunteers in both Kiev and Israel, Bolodimir and six other severely wounded patients were airlifted to Israel March 7, where they are scheduled to receive treatment at the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot as well as at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Report on Kaplan Medical Center Ukrainian Airlift/Rescue:
Kaplan Medical Center Doctor Babicheva was on vacation to see family in Kiev in late February when the Ukrainian protest movement peaked on the “Maidan,” – or Independence Square.
As activists were being cut down by government ordered sniper fire, Dr. Babicheva was there to provide emergency medical treatment. Due to the seriousness of injuries, and limited abilities of the Kiev hospitals, Babicheva contacted the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot, Israel, in order to get permission to receive the critically wounded Ukrainians.
Professor Jacob Yahav, CEO of the Kaplan Medical Center, “without hesitation” ordered the receiving and full treatment for the Ukrainian shooting victims.
(Source: Jerusalem Post, HERB KEINON, 05/01/2014 06:36)
Hennadii Nadolenko,
Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel visits repeatedly Rehovot’s Kaplan Medical Center
“Nadolenko expressed appreciation to Israel and the Ukrainian Jewish community for arranging medical assistance for 10 people wounded in clashes in Independence Square in February. The wounded in the clashes there were airlifted to Israeli hospitals…”
Additional Facts on Ukrainian Airlift/Rescue:
• Airlift to Israel for medical treatment was coordinated with the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot.
• Two of the ten went on for treatment at Hadassah, Ein Kerem.
• Two addition Ukrainian shooting victims were airlifted to Israel and the Kaplan Medical Center in late May.
• On Thursday, June 12, Ambassador Hennadii Nadolenko visited the latest Ukrainians healing at Rehovot’s KMC.
The Ambassador stated that he was considering sending more Ukrainian shooting victims to KMC for treatment.
(from JPost article) “Of the 1.2 million immigrants who arrived in Israel from the former Soviet Union since 1990, some 500,000 arrived from Ukraine, he said, making it the largest number of immigrants to come to Israel from any of the FSU countries.”
• Of Israel’s 8.2 million citizens, a significant number of Ukrainians, and others from the FSU, are among the more than 1 million Israeli citizens who reside in the Rehovot area, just South of Tel Aviv, and are served by KMC.
In an official Ukrainian Embassy document dated, May 19, 2014, Ambassador Nadolenko, specifically thanked Kaplan Medical Center “doctor Valeria Babicheva, who from the beginning assisted Ukrainian and Israeli volunteers in order to help wounded Ukrainians.”
• Middle East I24 News report on Ukrainian shooting victims airlift to Israel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGUbHyH3c4M
• Article published, May 12, 2014 by Joseph Puder: ‘An Eyewitness to Ukraine’s Tragedy”
Link:http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/joseph-puder/an-eyewitness-to-ukraines-tragedy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-eyewitness-to-ukraines-tragedy
Contact: Lou Balcher, National Director, American Friends of the Kaplan Medical Center (AFKMC)
Serving more than a million Israelis, in the “Heartland of Israel” – Rehovot
C: 215-932-2974 (Voice or Text) ; lbalcher@afkmc.org