Historian Artyom Kirpichenok disappears after arriving in Israel

Artyom Kirpichenok, a 51-year-old Russian-Israeli historian, has disappeared following his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on August 2. Kirpichenok, who traveled from Yerevan to deliver a conference, has been unable to be contacted by colleagues or family since his arrival.

The Russian Embassy in Israel has acknowledged reports suggesting that Kirpichenok may have been detained by Israeli law enforcement upon arrival. While the embassy has requested information from Israeli authorities, it has not officially confirmed the reasons for any potential detention.

Russian journalist and former Duma deputy Daria Mitina has claimed that Kirpichenok is being held by the Shin Bet, Israel's internal security service. Kirpichenok, who lived in Israel for nearly 15 years after immigrating in the 1990s, has recently maintained critical views regarding the Israeli state and Zionism.