In May 2025, photographs of leaflets spread, which allegedly distributed to veterans of the Second World War in different cities of Ukraine. They explain how to hang medals on a jacket so as not to violate the legislation and not to hurt the feelings of fellow citizens. We checked the reliability of such publications.
On the eve of Victory Day, a photograph of the leaflet, which the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory (UNP) allegedly prepared for local veterans widely dispersed. They allegedly advise you to put on Soviet orders and medals on the inside of a jacket or uniform uniform, because local legislation prohibits wearing such awards openly, and in other citizens of the USSR symbols can cause negative emotions.
A photo of the instruction 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),"Kostyan Cat - Official Channel"(70,000) and others. About this story was also told by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova, her comment was distributed"RIA Novosti" Life.ru, "Komsomolskaya Truth"And other publications.
May 8, 2025 in Ukraine noted The day of memory and victory over Nazism, in different cities, traditional laying of flowers in military memorials and other events took place in different cities. Previously, two holidays were celebrated in the country: the day of memory and reconciliation (May 8) and Victory Day over Nazism in the Second World War (May 9), but in 2023, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky united them by his decree, declaring on May 8 to the day of memory and victory over Nazism - by analogy with European countries.
The authors of viral publications indicate that the UNP distributed a leaflet with advice to veterans, how to hide their orders. Institute answers For the implementation of the state policy of decommunization: in particular, advises the relevant departments, conducts examinations about the need to dismantle this or that monument or change the toponym, develops methodological recommendations for the removal of Soviet symbols from public spaces and oversees projects for decommunization and decolonization. However, neither on Official websitenor in the verified accounts of the UNP in social networks (X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube) There is no information about leaflets with advice to veterans. The institute’s website has a separate tab With the materials for the Day of Memory and Victory over Nazism, but there is also not a word about the ban on wearing orders and that they could insult someone.
The text of the leaflet from the viral photography states that the law “On the condemnation of the communist and national socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the ban on propaganda of their symbols” prohibits openly wearing Soviet medals and orders. However, in the law itself, accepted In 2015, it was separately indicated that the orders (as well as other award signs, documents, tombstones, museum exhibits, etc.) do not fall under its action. The same exceptions are spelled out in the Law on prohibition of Russian imperial symbols (2023), and c The Law on the Banning of the St. George Ribbon (2017).
Moreover, in the section “Question - answer” on the website of the institute, which allegedly distributed leaflets, It is saidthat the statement about the ban on wearing Soviet orders is a lie and manipulation, as this cannot be considered propaganda.
Finally, this year, the day of memory and victory over Nazism Ukrainian TV channels And departments released stories about veterans of the Second World War, where they are without problems Demonstrate The Soviet awards they received.
Similar reports came out in past years, after the entry into force of laws on the prohibition of demonstration of Soviet symbols. In 2022, an interview with veterans, including in public spaces, Layd news agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Large Ukrainian media, which are quite actively illuminating the activities of the WINP, did not mention the spread of leaflets with advice for veterans. Center for Combating Disinformation under the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine He called it Fettle leaflet. “Verified” failed to find other her pictures.
The photo with the instructions spread mainly in the pro-Russian Telegram channels. First post with a viral image appeared On May 5, at 15:41 Moscow time, the Shaman Rahu Telegram channel, after which they began to write about the ban in other sources. With renewed vigor information Distracted After the statement of Zakharova on May 7. It is noteworthy that in her commentary, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry noted: the recommendation to wear an order on the inside of the jacket of the jacket, so as not to confuse the sensitive views of the local population, "or, as Zakharov called them," local Russophobes. " However, there is no such explanation in the most viral image, it first appeared in Telegram channels. "Shaman Rahu" often Found In the analysis of "tested" as the 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, It spreads Information about the seizure of medals, canceling support measures veterans, as well as manipulations on the topic Transfer of the holiday.
Thus, leaflets were not distributed to Ukrainian veterans, in which, with reference to the laws of the country, they called to wear medals on the inside of the jacket. The legislation of Ukraine does not prohibit wearing awards with Soviet symbols, as explicitly stated both in the text of the relevant law and on the website of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, which allegedly distributed leaflets with instructions.
Photo on the cover: social networks
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