Arms Smuggling Case from Ukraine: Links to 'Chief Rabbi of Moldova'

The affair of the arms smuggling from Ukraine, seized in November 2025 in a truck at the border crossing between Moldova and Romania, continues to unfold. According to reports in Moldovan and Russian media, based on court documents, the name of Rabbi Pinchas Zaltzman, who presents himself as the Chief Rabbi of Moldova, has been mentioned several times in investigation materials. However, the court ruling contains no finding that Zaltzman committed any offense, and he categorically denies any connection to the affair.

The incident began in November 2025, when Romanian customs authorities stopped a truck arriving from Moldova carrying advanced weaponry, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, RPG launchers, and UAV parts. The driver's claim that the shipment was destined for Israel raised immediate questions. According to the testimony of one of the defendants, Alexei Piankovsky, it was Zaltzman who requested the transport of the equipment from Ukraine to Moldova and subsequently to Israel. Piankovsky claimed that Zaltzman described the items as humanitarian or medical equipment intended for repair.

Court documents note that mobile phones seized during the investigation contained conversations between some defendants and Zaltzman, along with photos of weaponry. The document does not attribute criminal responsibility to him. A spokesperson for the Moldovan Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime declined to confirm Zaltzman's status, stating only that the investigation into several individuals is ongoing.

Meanwhile, sources within the Jewish community in Moldova claim that Zaltzman has not been seen in the country since October 2025. They further assert that the community has appointed Rabbi Menachem Mendel Axelrod as the Chief Rabbi. Zaltzman rejected these claims in a response to Ynet:

"This is an old affair, which I have no connection to. The attempt to drag my name into this event is ridiculous and has no connection to reality. I have assisted tens of thousands of Jews, including refugees from Ukraine, in accordance with the law. This attempt to turn my aid activities into arms smuggling is a cynical exploitation by political elements within the Jewish community."

Representatives of the Jewish community in Moldova maintain that Zaltzman is not the Chief Rabbi: "He was never elected or appointed to this position by authorized bodies. He has no mandate to represent the community." The legal proceedings in Moldova and Romania remain ongoing.