Smoke rises after missile strikes, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 5, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Vladyslav Sodel

Ukraine’s Ambassador urged Israel on Tuesday to supply the war-torn country with its air defensive system against missiles to help fight off Russia’s invasion.

“While Russia slaughters our citizens – the Israeli government remains in its ‘comfort zone’ and refrains from providing Ukraine with minimal defensive assistance,”  Ukraine’s Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk lamented. “We ask Israel for a defensive tool in the form of an ‘Iron Dome’ and similar defensive tools.”

“As Israel protects the residents of the Gaza Strip from Hamas fire – we must protect our citizens – women, children and men,” Korniychuk added.

Since Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, Israel has condemned Moscow and provided humanitarian aid. Israel’s field hospital in western Ukraine treated more than 6,000 Ukrainian refugees, including 750 children, at the 66-bed center — dubbed “Kochav Meir” (Shining Star) in honor of former Prime Minister Golda Meir, who was born in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has also sought to act as a mediator to try and bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, while also balancing regional security interests implicating Moscow.

Last month, Israel delivered 2,000 helmets and 500 protective vests for emergency and civilian organizations in Ukraine.

“The residents of Israel show love and sympathy for us. It is important for me to thank Israeli citizens, companies and organizations, who have been helping Ukraine since the first day of the war,” Korniychuk acknowledged. “The government also shows empathy in speech, but when it comes to actions – that is something else.”

Korniychuk criticized Israel for delivering only 10 percent of the protective helmets and protective vests the Ukraine had asked for.

Israel Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz announced last month that injured Ukrainian soldiers will be flown to its country for medical treatment and that millions of shekels will be allocated to send more medicine directly to the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s envoy said that Israel is delaying the treatment of “former soldiers whose limbs were amputated to fit them with prostheses.”

“There is no humanitarian aid more than this,” he said. “The Israeli government must consider the moral aspect and decide whether it will join the right side like other democracies in the world.”

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, an estimated 40,000 civilians have been killed, 12 million Ukrainians have left their homes with 7 million displaced within the country and 5 million have left the country, according to Korniychuk.