Israel Gov't to Replace Magach Tank in Russian Museum With Same Model

Israel will replace a Magach tank at an exhibition in a museum near Moscow with a tank of the same model, the press secretary of the head of Israeli government said Tuesday.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to return the Magach tank, seized by the Syrian troops in 1982 during the First Lebanon War and exhibited in Russia, to Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Putin for that decision, pointing out the importance of the step for the families of three Israel Defense Forces (IDF) servicemen, who went missing during the war.

''We will pass to Russia the same [model of] tank, so it can be exhibited in a museum," the press secretary told RIA Novosti.

Netanyahu is currently in Moscow with an official visit dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Russia.