A Russian-Israeli journalist was removed on Tuesday from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's flight to the United States, which departed earlier on Tuesday.
Nick Kolyohin, who contributes to the Russian state-controlled international television network RT, was removed from the flight due to "security concerns," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement given to The Jerusalem Post.
"Security officials decided not to approve the reporter's inclusion in the prime minister's flight to Washington due to security concerns that cannot be detailed at this moment," the statement read.
The PMO added that Kolyohin's participation in the press delegation was approved before the incident, which occurred when he arrived at the tarmac where Israel's state aircraft, the Wing of Zion, was preparing to take off.
Shin Bet: Russian-Israeli journalist removed to 'secure Netanyahu'
In a separate statement, the Shin Bet stressed that it had decided to remove Kolyohin from the flight as part of its responsibility to "secure the prime minister."
"In accordance with [the Shin Bet's] mission and responsibilities under the law, the agency is, among other things, tasked with securing the prime minister," the statement read. "Within this framework, decisions are made to reduce risks to the prime minister and to the information in his surroundings.
"Naturally, it is not possible to comment on the reasons underlying specific decisions," the Shin Bet added.
Kolyohin previously served under Netanyahu in the Prime Minister's Office between 2011 and 2012 as the spokesperson of a deputy minister in the PMO. He was previously employed by Channel 13 and by the Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency's Israel bureau.
Netanyahu is set to arrive in Washington on Tuesday night ahead of a crucial meeting with US President Donald Trump on Iran's nuclear negotiations. Before boarding the flight, Netanyahu said he would present Trump with "principles" for the United States' nuclear negotiations when the two meet in the White House.