In May 2025, photographs circulated of leaflets allegedly distributed to World War II veterans in various cities of Ukraine. They explain how to hang medals on a jacket so as not to violate the law and not hurt the feelings of fellow citizens. We have verified the accuracy of such publications.

On the eve of Victory Day, a photo of a leaflet that the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance (UINR) allegedly prepared for local veterans was widely circulated on the Internet. They are allegedly advised to wear Soviet orders and medals on the inside of their jacket or uniform, because local legislation prohibits wearing such awards openly, and the symbols of the USSR may cause negative emotions among other citizens.

A photo of the instructions appeared in Telegram channels “Ukraine.ru"(251,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), "Voblya • news"(136,000), "Ostashko! Important"(95,000), Dontstopwar (82,000), "Tsargrad-TV" (72,000), "What happened?" (70,000), "Kot Kostyan - official channel"(70,000), etc. Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova also spoke about this story; her comment was distributed"RIA Novosti", Life.ru, "Komsomolskaya Pravda"and other publications.

May 8, 2025 in Ukraine noted Day of remembrance and victory over Nazism, traditional flower-layings at war memorials and other events took place in different cities. Previously, the country celebrated two holidays: the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation (May 8) and the Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II (May 9), but in 2023, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky united them by decree, declaring May 8 the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism - similar to European countries.

The authors of the viral publications indicate that the leaflet with advice to veterans on how to hide their medals was distributed by the UINP. Institute answers for the implementation of the state policy of decommunization: in particular, advises relevant departments, conducts examinations on the need to dismantle a particular monument or change a toponym, develops methodological recommendations for the removal of Soviet symbols from public spaces and supervises projects on decommunization and decolonization. However, neither official website, nor in verified UINP accounts on social networks (X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube) there is no information about leaflets with advice for veterans. The institute’s website has a separate tab with materials for the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, but there is also not a word said about the ban on wearing orders and the fact that they could offend someone.

The text of the leaflet from the viral photo states that the law “On the condemnation of the communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of the propaganda of their symbols” prohibits the open wearing of Soviet medals and orders. However, in the law itself, adopted in 2015, it is separately stated that orders (as well as other award signs, documents, tombstones, museum exhibits, etc.) do not fall under its scope. The same exceptions are specified in the law on ban on Russian imperial symbols (2023), and in law banning the wearing of the St. George ribbon (2017).

Screenshot of text law “On the condemnation of the communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of the propaganda of their symbols.” Source: zakon.rada.gov.ua

Moreover, in the “Question and Answer” section on the website of the institute, which allegedly distributed the leaflets, saidthat the statement about the ban on wearing Soviet orders is a lie and manipulation, since it cannot be considered propaganda.

Screenshot of the “Question and Answer” section on the UINP website. Source: uinp.gov.ua

Finally, this year, on the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism, Ukrainian TV channels And departments released stories about World War II veterans, where they had no problems demonstrate Soviet awards they received.

Similar reports were published in previous years, after the laws banning the display of Soviet symbols came into force. In 2022, interviews with veterans, including those recorded in public spaces, posted news agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Major Ukrainian media, which quite actively cover the activities of the UINP, did not mention the distribution of leaflets with advice for veterans. Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine named the leaflet is fake. “Checked” was unable to find any other pictures of her.

The photo with instructions was distributed mainly in pro-Russian Telegram channels. First post with viral image appeared On May 5 at 15:41 Moscow time in the Telegram channel “Shaman Rahu”, after which other sources began to write about the ban. Information with renewed vigor separated after Zakharova’s statement on May 7. It is noteworthy that in her commentary, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted: the recommendation to wear orders on the inside of the jacket is given so as “not to confuse the sensitive views of the local population,” or, as Zakharova called them, “local Russophobes.” However, there is no such explanation on the viral image itself; it first appeared in Telegram channels. "Shaman Rahu" often meets in analyzes of “Verified” as the primary source and distributor of fake news.

Russian officials and pro-government media regularly make manipulative statements about the traditions of celebrating Victory Day in Ukraine. Since 2015, when a package of laws on decommunization was adopted, including prohibiting the demonstration of Soviet symbols, spreads information about the withdrawal of medals, cancellation of support measures veterans, as well as manipulations on the topic postponing the holiday.

Thus, Ukrainian veterans were not given leaflets in which, with reference to the laws of the country, they were called upon to wear medals on the inside of their jackets. The legislation of Ukraine does not prohibit wearing awards with Soviet symbols, as is directly stated both in the text of the relevant law and on the website of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, which allegedly distributed leaflets with instructions.

Cover photo: social networks