A Russian court has set August 19 for a hearing requested by the Justice Ministry, which wants to shut down the offices of the Jewish Agency for Israel, a group that helps maintain Jewish cultural identity in the country, as well as the immigration of Jews to Israel.
The Basmanny district court in the Russian capital on July 28 set the date for the proceedings, which Israel has warned could have a serious impact on bilateral ties.
Moscow has accused the organization of acting in contravention of Russian law, without providing details.
According to Russian media reports, the agency is accused of illegally collecting personal data from Russian citizens. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied reports that closing the agency is aimed at preventing a brain drain after many Russians left the country following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Jewish Agency for Israel, established in 1929, began working in Russia in 1989 and has assisted hundreds of thousands of Jews from all over the Soviet Union to immigrate to Israel.
The Israeli Integration Ministry says nearly 17,000 people have left Russia for Israel this year so far, more than twice as many as last year.
Closing the agency's Russian branch would not stop Russian Jews from moving to Israel, but it could slow down the process.
Some Israelis see the threatened shutdown as punishment for Israel's stance on Russia's war on Ukraine.
Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has taken a tougher stance over the conflict than Israel's former prime minister, Naftali Bennett, who stepped aside on July 1.