Overview

• Overnight on August 12–13, at least three Molotov cocktails were thrown at the synagogue’s front entrance, scorching its door and warping the metal canopy.
• This marks the second arson-related incident on the same building in just over a year, following a July 10, 2024 fire that damaged its electrical box, windows and fence without breaching the interior.
• In the 2024 attack, police detained two minors—one under eight years old—prompting synagogue leaders to allege that children were used to shield adult perpetrators from responsibility.
• Rabbi Aaron Golovchiner condemned the latest assault as a deliberate act of antisemitism and criticized investigators for failing to secure accountability after the first incident.
• Local authorities have provided minimal public updates, leaving initial damage assessments and statements to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia and synagogue leadership.