Israel's envoy to Moscow, Alex Ben Zvi, received a summons on Sunday to appear before the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, according to a report by Army Radio.
News of the summons arrived after Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and a number of other Israeli officials issued sharp condemnations of Russia's Ukraine invasion.
Earlier in the month, Lapid charged that Russia committed “war crimes against a defenseless civilian population” during his official visit to Greece.
“A large and powerful country has invaded a smaller neighbor without any justification,” Lapid said, adding that “Once again, the ground is soaked with the blood of innocent civilians.”
In his remarks, the foreign minister also condemned the killings in the Kyiv suburb Bucha - where the withdrawal of Russian troops revealed mass graves and a number of bodies lying in the streets, dressed in civilian clothing.
“The images and testimony from Ukraine are horrific,” Lapid said.
Moscow said on Friday that it took note of Lapid’s comments, which it referred to as an “anti-Russian attack” in a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“The Israeli Foreign Minister’s statements evoke regret and rejection,” the statement continued.
The ministry also condemned Israel’s decision to vote in favor of Russia’s expulsion from the United Nations Human Rights Council.
