(Jewish Group) Synagogue torched in northern Russia [View all]

[Behind the Aegis]

A synagogue in northern Russia was severely damaged in a fire that the local Jewish community said was caused by arsonists.

The fire consumed the entrance hall of the Northern Star Jewish community center and synagogue in Arkhangelsk, the Russian Jewish Congress wrote. No one was hurt in the fire.

Anatoly Obermeister, who heads the Russian Jewish Congress’ Northern Region, said in a statement that the arson Sunday was the third assault on communal property since 2015, though the previous ones resulted in little damage.


At about 3.40 a.m. a perpetrator threw tires over the fence, then climbed over, quickly moved the tires closer to the building, doused them with a flammable liquid and set them on fire. Firefighters arrived 15 minutes later, when the facade was already blazing,” said the report, which was based on security camera footage".

The report did not say whether the perpetrator could be identified.

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