Belarus, which has a long border with Ukraine, has prevented foreign visitors from entering and allows Israelis to enter without a visa.
As Jewish pilgrims piled up at the border, camped on the edge of the road and received food from Red Cross volunteers, Ukraine deployed more forces at the border and sent planes and drones to patrol it.
On Thursday, Hebrew media reported that 30 Jasidim seeking to reach Ulaan were denied access to Moldova after crossing Turkey.
Ynet’s online news page said the pilgrims would be deported to Turkey under police escort after skirmishes broke out at the airport when the organization was informed that they would not be allowed to enter the country. 12 hours, their passports and luggage confiscated.
The Ukrainian government said Wednesday that it would not bend to let pilgrims in and accused their Belarusian counterparts of giving pilgrims false hopes of entering despite strict restrictions related to coronaviruses.
The head of Ukraine’s border guard, Sergiy Deyneko, addressed the pilgrims in a video posted Wednesday and said no one could enter the country.
“I respect your traditions and customs, but this year you may not be able to pass Uman. I’m in a position to repeat it, if necessary, a thousand times,” he said.
The video shows a lot of classically dressed Hasidic Jews at the Novi Yarylovychi border crossing praying, singing and trying to convince Ukrainian border guards to make an exception.
“We are in a position for all situations and commands on the coronavirus. Let us in!” read a handwritten sign transmitted by one of the believers in the video.
Ukrainian border guards dressed in shields looked, forming a cordon.
“At the moment, the stage does not allow us to let more Hasidic Jews into Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeniy Yenin told ukraina 24.
Ukraine and Belarus exchanged accusations of anger on Wednesday for the impasse.
Ukraine’s president has suggested to the Belarusian government to avoid sending misleading signals to ultra-Orthodox Jewish pilgrims that they would eventually cross the border.
“We call on the Belarusian government to avoid fueling tensions at the border and not to spread encouraging false statements that can leave pilgrims feeling that the border with Ukraine could open,” he said. “The Belarusian government has intentionally or accidentally helped spread these rumors. “
Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz responded to Ukraine, accusing it of remedying “inhumane” Jewish pilgrims.
Thousands of Israelis are already in Eman after some rushed to the city early for fear of the border being closed.
Ukraine’s local government also announced that it would restrict demonstrations in Ouman during the two-day holiday, which begins on Friday night.