A Ukrainian serviceman holds a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher at fighting positions outside the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine February 24, 2022. REUTERS/Maksim Levin

An Israeli journalist reporting from the besieged Ukrainian capital of Kyiv ran headlong into an apparently ardent, non-Jewish Zionist and fan of former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir.

Veteran reporter Ron Ben-Yishai wrote on Israel’s Ynet news outlet Tuesday that he was on the northern outskirts of Kyiv, which is the primary target of a massive Russian assault force that has thus far been held off by the Ukrainian military.

One Ukrainian lieutenant was shocked to learn Ben-Yishai was Israeli.

Lt. Alex Gorgen told the reporter, “My name is Alex, but my nickname is ‘Zion.’ Zion, like the holy mountain in Jerusalem. I am a Zionist.”

He then showed Ben-Yishai a copy of a biography of Golda Meir that he will take into combat.

“This is the pack I’m going to go into battle with,” he said. “There’s night vision equipment here, a bottle of water — and my favorite book, ‘Golda.’ I will take it even if it is the last battle.”

“I am not a Jew,” Gorgen explained. “I am a Ukrainian, I am a Ukrainian patriot, I am a Ukrainian nationalist, and I am a Zionist because I think that Ukraine is the second homeland.”

אז רון בן ישי הגיע למוצב הכי צפוני בקייב, ופגש שם את הקצין ״ציון״ שתוך דקה שלף מהפק״ל את הביוגרפיה של גולדה. אמיתי, נשבע לכם, לא נגענו
⁦@ynetnews⁩ ⁦@YediotAhronot⁩ pic.twitter.com/4l3FcL9Lbf

— nir (shoko) cohen (@shoko21211) March 8, 2022