A resident of the Kyiv region sparked outrage after posting a video on her TikTok page criticizing the tradition of honoring the memory of the deceased with a moment of silence. In the video, the woman used offensive language regarding those who observe this tradition, referring to them as “half-wits and slaves.” Later, after speaking with representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), she deleted the controversial post and recorded a video apologizing.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the Incident and Public Reaction
According to the woman, the incident occurred on the morning of March 18 when she visited a store for errands and was engaged in a phone conversation. During the moment of silence, when other customers and store employees stopped and bowed their heads, she paid no attention to it. After a salesperson pointed out her behavior, the woman expressed outrage and stated that she did not understand the meaning of this tradition, accompanying her words with offensive remarks.
“And then he shouts: ‘Moment of silence.’ I don’t hear it at all and don’t understand what’s happening — I continue discussing the concrete order. I turn around and see that everyone has stopped and bowed their heads. Slaves… The salesperson starts getting nervous and says: ‘Ma’am, are you deaf? Moment of silence.’ And I turn back to my conversation again. He gets even more outraged, and I respond that I will answer for myself and ask why everyone is shouting and being silent at the same time. In the end, I left the store without buying anything because I needed to resolve the concrete issue. I walked out onto the street saying that we should respect the living, not the dead.”
The woman also criticized activists who stopped traffic during the moment of silence and expressed doubts about the necessity of adhering to such norms. She noted that instead of formal memorials, more attention should be paid to the living and pressing issues in the country, such as the state of roads, healthcare, and education.
Apology and Official Position of Law Enforcement
Following the social media backlash, the woman recorded a new video in which she apologized for her words. She emphasized that she had learned her lesson after a preventive conversation with SBU employees and acknowledged the inappropriateness of her remarks in a state of war. Additionally, the Kyiv region resident addressed the military personnel, apologizing for any potential offense to their feelings.
As of now, there have been no official comments from the police or SBU regarding this incident.
It is worth noting that a similar incident recently occurred in Lviv, where a driver received an administrative protocol for insults during a moment of silence, indicating the law enforcement’s vigilant attention to such cases of public disrespect.