Ukraine's ambassador to Israel and its military attache thanked Israel this week for the December 12th rescue of sailors from a merchant ship that sank off the coast of Lebanon.

On Wednesday, they visited the Air Force's rescue unit to personally thank those involved in the operation. On Thursday, they also thanked the Navy for its part in the rescue and presented Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi with a letter from his Ukrainian counterpart in which he said that as a result of the incident, he felt that a close connection had been formed between the people of the two countries and that he saw the Israel Defense Forces as friends and colleagues. Lieutenant-General Ashkenazi said that the IDF forces acted to save lives and would do so in the future.