Thousands of pilgrims going from Israel to holy places in Uman stuck at Ukrainian border

20 сентября 2020
Almost all week the attention of many Belarusian and foreign media was focused on the situation on a neutral strip between Belarus and Ukraine. Thousands of pilgrims from Israel by centuries-old tradition went to holy places in the town of Uman, Cherkassy Region. The believers passed the Belarusian checkpoint "Novaya Guta" and got stuck in a step from the Ukrainian border. The road was blocked by trucks. A cordon was built. No one could pass further. Driven by faith, people did not dare to turn around and go back. 

In the hope that Ukraine would still let them through, more than a thousand Hasidic pilgrims, among them almost 300 children, remained on a neutral strip between the two countries without food, water, or a roof over their heads. The Belarusians came to the aid of the people. The stay of pilgrims in our country was taken under control  by the head of state from the very beginning. He instructed to provide them with all the necessary assistance. However, the green light on the way to the Ukrainian shrine never turned on. The Ukrainian authorities banned the entry to their country.