Jews in Eastern Ukraine were told they must “register” their identities and properties with the pro-Russian militants who want to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation.  This happened in Donetsk, a city where pro-Russian militants have taken over government and police buildings.

Three men in balaclavas who carried Russian flags passed out these papers to Jewish Ukrainians who were leaving synagogue earlier this week.  The flyers demanded Jews over the age of 16 to register at the government’s main building, which is currently being occupied by pro-Russian gunmen and protesters.  Additionally, they would be forced to pay a registration fee of US$50 and list all pieces of property, including real estate and vehicles.

“Evasion of registration will result in citizenship revoke and you will be forced outside the country with a confiscation of property,” read one flyer.

The leaflets contained the signature of Denis Pushilin, who some media reports identify as the self-appointed “people’s governor” of the pro-Russian separatists.  He denies any connection and attributes the leaflets to “idiots”.

False flag or genuine threat?  It almost doesn’t matter which side is responsible for the leaflets, the local Jewish community is not thrilled. 

“The Jewish-Ukrainian leadership supports Ukraine’s new government, but it’s hard to tell whether the leaflet is valid or simply a provocation,” said Kiev native Alex Tenzer who is now one of the directors of the National Association of Immigrants from the Former USSR in Israel.  “Anyway, the material is very anti-Semitic and reminds me of the kind of material distributed by the Nazis in WWII.”