Mother at Kyiv Central Synagogue pleads for end to Russian invasion
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Mother at Kyiv Central Synagogue pleads for end to Russian invasion

In emotional video, woman labels the actions of the Russian forces "a crime" and says "we don't need them."

Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor

Clutching the hand of her young daughter as she spoke from inside the lobby of Kyiv’s Central Synagogue a young mother has pleaded for an end to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

In footage tweeted by the journalist John Sweeney, the woman named Anya said: “We want to be here in Ukraine – we live to be in an independent country.

“We don’t want Russian (forces) to enter here… I don’t want to go anywhere”

The devastated mother also suggested she could have the opportunity to leave for Israel but would prefer to remain in Ukraine.

She said: “I take my children and go to Israel, but I want to stay here.

“Please stop this. I don’t want this. I don’t want to go.”

The woman labeled the actions of the Russian forces “a crime” and said “we don’t need them.”

Former BBC Panorama and Newsnight journalist Sweeney asked her for her view of Putin but a male voice intervened saying:” She has no good words to say but feels she cannot say bad words here.”

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