Israel’s military attaché to Moscow Col. Vadim Leiderman was arrested and
deported from Russia this week over allegations that he was spying.
The
Defense Ministry said in a statement that Leiderman – an air force officer and
fluent Russian speaker – was arrested last week by Russian security authorities
and questioned at length on suspicions that he was spying on behalf of
Israel.
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The arrest came as a delegation of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs
and Defense Committee visited Moscow under the leadership of committee chairman
Shaul Mofaz.
Israeli-Russian military ties have had their ups and downs
in recent years. Israel openly criticized Russia earlier this year for supplying
Syria with advanced Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles that the IDF fears will be
transferred to
return from Moscow, Leiderman was questioned by security authorities who ruled
out the allegations that the attaché was operating as a spy in
Russia.
Israeli officials said they were surprised by the subsequent
deportation and that they had yet to receive explanations from Russia.
In
2009, Russia expelled an Israeli diplomat who served in Moscow as a
representative of Nativ under similarly mysterious circumstances.
Then,
too, the diplomat was given 48 hours to leave the country.
In a 2009
interview with the IDF magazine Bamachane, Leiderman explained the complicated
relationship Israel maintained with the Russia military.
“Our fears about
Russia are clear and there is historic baggage that we all remember since Russia
was once the largest weapons supplier of our enemies,” he said then.
“Add
to this the fear that the Israeli technology will make its way to countries that
could then turn it against us, and of course our relations with the United
States that we would never do anything to endanger.”
Kadima MK Yohanan
Plesner, who participated in the Knesset trip to Russia, said he was completely
surprised by the deportation but said that he had heard that this was commonly
done to countries and not just Israel.
“We encountered tight ties and
close cooperation as well as a lot of sympathy for Israel,” Plesner said. “On
the other hand, we heard that there are cases like this when Russia suddenly
deports foreign diplomats from various countries. This is the way they operate.”