TEL AVIV, August 5. /TASS/. Russian diplomats in Israel have not yet received any requests from Russian orientalist Artyom Kirpichenok, but keep monitoring the situation around his reported detention by the Israeli authorities, Russian Ambassador to Tel Aviv Anatoly Viktorov said in a statement, obtained by TASS.

"We took note of reports by a number of Russian media outlets regarding journalist and orientalist Artyom Kirpichenok, who was presumably detained by law enforcement officers on the territory of Israel on August 2. Up until now, the embassy received no requests from his relatives, friends or colleagues. Nevertheless, we have sent a request on the subject to relevant Israeli government agencies. We are keeping an eye on the matter," the statement says.

Artyom Kirpichenok, who has a Ph.D. in History, is an author, researcher and a critic of Zionism with dual Russian-Israeli citizenship, who has lived in Israel for many years.

On August 4, Russian journalist Oleg Yasinsky wrote on Telegram that Kirpichenok has not been responding to messages and calls over a few days. In his words, the historian has been unaccounted for since arriving in Tel Aviv on a flight from Yerevan on August 2. Journalist and former State Duma lawmaker Darya Mitina wrote on Telegram on August 5 that Kirpichenok had allegedly been detained, but gave no other details.