Forty years after the Six Day War of 1967, declassified documents from the Russian and American archives, and interviews with retired veterans from the Soviet armed forces shed new light on the pivotal conflict.

Russia was concerned about Israel development of a nuclear facility in Dimona and deliberately instigated that war to neutralize the new Israeli capability. We now also know that the Soviets committed Soviet personnel and weapons for a direct intervention.

Newly released data indicate that the Soviets were even planning to land ground forces in Haifa.

The title for “Foxbats Over Dimona” comes from the Mig-25s that flew over the Dimona nuclear facility. Unlike the Mig-21s that were flown by the Egyptians, the 25’s were too new and had to be flown by Russians.

Russian veterans indicated that the missiles that sank the Israeli destroyer Eilat were directed by Russian military in every aspect but the pressing of the launch button.

Clearly the effort failed. The Russians tried to maneuver the Egyptians into provoking the Israelis without striking the first blow. Meanwhile the United States tried to remain neutral, inadvertently giving the Russians a green light.

But the alliance of the Egyptians, Jordanians, and the Syrians was weak. They did not trust each other. Jordan entered the war believing the false broadcasts of Egypt’s success, when in fact the Israelis decimated the Egyptian ground and air forces.

Russia failed to provide direct support to the Arab Alliance, likely intimidated by the United States deployment of its Mediterranean fleet to the area. General Moshe Dayan was against the attack on the Golan Heights because he feared facing a direct Soviet intervention, knowing the Syrians were close with the Soviets. When Dayan saw the Soviets fail to support the Egyptians he agreed with the Israeli staff and seized the Golan Heights.

Many in the Soviet block were incensed that the Soviets did not support their Arab allies. The Soviets spent so heavily to rearm the Arab Alliance, leading to the Yom Kippur War in 1973, that it caused economic sacrifice in their homeland.

The Soviets played a dangerous game and lost. When they broke off diplomatic relations with Israel, they lost any voice in Mideast policy going forward. As the Russian Embassy was vacated Russian army vets from WWII that were now Israeli citizens threw their medals in a box and gave it to the Russian diplomats to take back to Russia.

Summarized from Foxbats Over Dimona by Isabella Ginor and Gideon Remez

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