The yesterday night attack on a synagogue at the Nachman burial complex synagogue in Uman, Cherkasy region was committed by provocateurs, who do not like Ukraine's strengthening ties with Israel. The criminals must be punished to the fullest extent of the law, Israel's honorary consul to Ukraine (western region) Oleh Vyshniakov has said.

"I am shocked by the barbaric attack, which took place in the Nachman synagogue in Uman. Antisemitism is a horrible plague, which is carried out not only in Ukraine. It is necessary to root it out. What disturbs me most of all is that the crazy act of violence committed against revered figures of the Jewish people was committed when relations between Ukraine and Israel were strengthening. Not long ago there was a vote in the United Nations where Israel supported the sovereignty of Ukraine. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman is scheduled to make a visit to Israel in the near future," the statement of Vyshniakov says obtained by the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

The honorary consul said someone does not like stronger ties between the two countries.

"The perpetrators of the crime must be punished to the fullest extent of law. According to Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, they face from five to eight years in prison, if convicted. The guilty parties must be found and put behind bars, in order that other criminals never repeat their crime," the consul said.

Israel's honorary consul expressed satisfaction that the head of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) Yuriy Lutsenko personally took the investigation under his control.

"Citizens of Israel should understand that this situation is only a provocation and in no way the commonly held position of Ukrainians toward Israeli citizens. They are thankful to them for the friendship and support," Vyshniakov said.

As earlier reported, information was received on December 21 from a caller to the "102" police hotline about unlawful activities taking place at the Nachman synagogue burial complex.

"A police unit dispatched to the location determined that unidentified people had poured red paint near the entrance to the facility and left the head of pig. Evidence was collected by investigators at the location," police reports said. Criminal investigations for hooliganism pursuant to Part 2 of Article 296 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (hooliganism, an offense punishable with a jail term of up to five years) are underway.

Lutsenko's spokeswoman Larysa Sarhan said Lutsenko had taken the investigation of the crime committed in the synagogue under his personal control and cancelled the vacation of the region's top prosecutor. According to Sarhan, Lutsenko "gave instructions to the Cherkasy prosecutors to supervise the investigation of the criminal case."

According to head of the National Police of Ukraine Vadym Troyan, police investigators are at the scene of the crime along with the chief of the Cherkasy region's national police, who is working with competent police investigators to solve the crime.