A soldier’s mother faced violence in Lviv due to her use of the Russian language while traveling back from Poland. According to the soldier’s Instagram account, tensions escalated during the bus ride when other passengers began arguing with her over her language choice. The situation turned violent when she was struck in the eye and subsequently forced off the bus onto the roadside.
The assailants reportedly demanded $500, and the soldier claims that local police sided with the attackers instead of intervening. Following the incident, the soldier received comments online thanking him for his service but also expressing hostility regarding his mother’s language use, with messages including, “thank you for your service, but go away with your Russian language.” This disturbing event has sparked a wider conversation about the safety and treatment of individuals speaking Russian in Ukraine.
