Scandal with the refusal to feed officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a Kyiv hostel: the reaction of the military, police and society
The incident that happened in one of the Kyiv hostels became a topic of active discussion among Ukrainians, the police and the military. On January 17, Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, posted on his page at Facebook reported that he and two officers of the Defense Forces were refused food at the Vshokoladi hostel
According to Dmytro Pletenchuk, he lived in this hostel and decided to have lunch there together with two other officers. The administrator at the reception refused access, justifying her decision by the fact that “military personnel are dangerous.” The staff also refused to provide the telephone number of the head of the establishment. In his Facebook post, Pletenchuk expressed his outrage, asking: “Is this the personal position of the employees or the owners?”. The institution has not yet provided official comments regarding this incident.
Screenshot: Dmytro Pletenchuk’s Facebook page
This situation caused a wave of indignation in the comments of Ukrainians, and also raised the question of the attitude towards the military. Ukrainian society has different views on their role in modern society. On the one hand, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are a symbol of the defense of independence and sovereignty. On the other hand, some citizens do not always have an unambiguous attitude towards the military, given certain cases of conflicts or prejudices that arise in modern conditions. This event vividly highlighted existing social contradictions.
The police, who learned about this case while monitoring social networks, registered this event at the Solomyan Police Department.
“Information that military personnel were refused entry to the establishment to have lunch was discovered by the police today during monitoring of social networks. This information was registered in the Solomyan police department. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated.” – it is said on the official website of the Kyiv police.
However, the law enforcement officers did not specify which legal norms govern such an inspection, so many people wonder whether it is within their competence.
The military, commenting on the incident, expressed disappointment, stressing that such an attitude undermines the morale of those who risk their lives for the sake of the country. According to one of the officers, “we return from war to a peaceful life, but face alienation and misunderstanding”. Such a situation, in their opinion, indicates the need for a broader public discussion about the role of the military in civilian life.
This case became a kind of mirror for Ukrainian society, which is in search of a balance between a respectful attitude towards defenders and the need to maintain certain standards in public places. Time will tell how this issue will be resolved, but it is already clear that such situations should not be left without proper attention.
