Why Israel's leadership is calling on Iranians to overthrow the regime, while Ukraine's leadership is not calling on Russians to revolt - opinion

June 16, 2025, Ukrainian public figure Valeriy Pekar — co-founder of the platform "Nova Krayina" — posted a powerful message on Facebook: "Why does the leadership of Israel address the people of Iran urging them to overthrow the regime, while the leadership of Ukraine does not make a similar appeal to the Russian population?" This question became the starting point for a new analytical article by NAnews – Israel News. Why does Israel address Iranians while Ukraine avoids appeals to Russians – NAnews, Israel News, June 17, 2025 1. Who is there to address? Iran. Millions of citizens hate the ayatollah regime, take to the streets regularly, and the older generation still remembers the secular 1970s. There is an audience willing to listen to external appeals. Russia. Russians mostly see their regime as a permanent part of the landscape: it has always been this way. They have nothing to compare it with, even though the Iranian regime is 20 years older than Putin’s. "I don’t know if there are organized movements in Iran, but riots happen from time to time. In Russia, such riots have never happened — the very idea seems strange to Russians. Overt moral resistance in Russia counts tens of thousands of people (nothing on a national scale), while in Iran there are millions, despite the risk of repression being similar." Conclusion: Israel has a public to appeal to; Ukraine — almost no one. 2. International support: some are encouraged, others feared The ayatollah regime is seen by the West as toxic. Openly discussing regime change in Tehran is considered a legitimate de-escalation strategy in the Middle East. "The idea of regime change in Iran will be supported by the U.S., Europe, and neighboring countries." The fall of Putin’s regime still terrifies Western capitals: nuclear weapons, territorial collapse, migration chaos. "Meanwhile, the idea of regime change in Russia meets resistance in the U.S. and Europe — and neighboring countries are not ready either." "The reasons for this situation have been analyzed many times, but they still don’t seem logical. Both countries have nuclear capabilities. Both have valuable natural resources. Both have dangerous dictators threatening the world. China’s influence looms over both. Both have large populations (I’m sure the difference is less than 1.5x). Why is it acceptable to wish for regime change in Iran, but unthinkable in Russia?" Conclusion: Israel receives diplomatic applause, while Ukraine gets warnings. 3. Willingness to take risks Israel, following its doctrine of "preemptive security," is not afraid to openly support any force that weakens its enemy. Ukraine, according to Pekar, is even afraid to discuss support for Russian regions that dream of self-determination. A draft law on state policy toward national liberation movements within the Russian Federation has been stalled in the Verkhovna Rada for over a year. Ukraine’s lack of a clear position prevents others from forming one of their own. Key quote from the expert "Until we see our own victory in the fog of the future, we won’t even start moving toward it." — Valeriy Pekar Comment from NAnews – Israel News For the Jewish audience in Israel, this is not just a diplomatic issue. Israel’s example shows that direct appeals to a hostile population can undermine a dictator’s legitimacy and demoralize their elites. Ukraine is caught in a trap: if it supports the right of Russian regions to self-determination, it risks diplomatic scandal; if it remains silent, it forfeits a major lever of influence. Why this matters to us - Israel’s security depends on the collapse of Iran-backed terrorism. - Ukraine’s future depends on internal weakening of Putin’s Russia. - Shared historical memory between Jews and Ukrainians teaches: tyrannies fall when internal resistance aligns with external pressure. Facts that cannot be ignored - In Iran, there were over 12,000 protests from 2022 to 2024. - In Russia — fewer than 300, most ending in arrests. - The protest activity index in Iran is 40 times higher than in Russia. Key takeaways - Israel acts boldly because it sees real public demand in Iran. - Ukraine chooses caution, fearing isolation on the global stage. - Until Kyiv forms a clear position, allies will also avoid bold moves. The question raised by Valeriy Pekar reveals fundamental differences in the strategic thinking of the two nations. Israel operates under the principle that "offense is the best defense"; Ukraine acts out of fear of worsening an already dire situation. NAnews calls for open discussion: only then can we shape a strategy that leads to real victory. https://nikk.agency/en/why-israel/