- She was reported by an anonymous social media user for ‘discrediting the military’
The hunt for Ukraine supporters in Russia reached a new level when a woman was questioned by police for wearing her yellow down jacket against a faintly blue sky.
Journalist Antonida Smolina, 38, was reported by an anonymous accuser of promoting the colors of Ukraine after she posted photos on social media of herself wearing the jacket.
In doing so, it was claimed, she would ‘discredit’ Putin’s army.
After posting the photo, she discovered that she was the subject of a police investigation by Vladimir Putin’s police.
“A district police officer came to me,” said the journalist from Veliky Ustyug. “He said a certain Valery P wrote a statement against me to the police.”
It was said that Antonida “created associations with enemy symbols, bringing discredit to our government and military.”
Antonida Smolina, 38, was accused of “discrediting Putin’s army” because she was pictured wearing a yellow down jacket against a faint blue sky.
After Antonida posted the photo, she discovered that she was the subject of a police investigation by Vladimir Putin’s police
“A district police officer came to me,” said the journalist. “He said a certain Valery P wrote a statement against me to the police.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2024
“My down jacket is three years old and my salary doesn’t allow me to buy new clothes every time the public rating of a certain color changes,” Smolina said.
“And the color of my down jacket is, to be very strict, not yellow, but ”Crayola”.”
She was forced to write a formal response to the accusation and police will decide what action to take.
Social media users are mocking draconian new laws in Russia, which have led people to see enemies everywhere linked to the war on Ukraine.
‘Yellow is prohibited? The rainbow is forbidden? The triumph of greyness,” said one.
‘The next step is to banish the yellow sun against the blue sky. This is hostile symbolism,” wrote another.
A further comment read: ‘Soon a criminal case will be opened against the sky and the sun if anyone doesn’t like it.’
Another mocking post read: “The airspace is recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation. However, it is still there, just like the Taliban.”
Antonida wrote: ‘The post that so offended Valery P has nothing to do with politics, but politics kills the souls of my compatriots. And it’s scary’
Antonida told outlet Baza: ‘You have to be careful because there is no guarantee that the people around you are normal’
FILE – Police arrest a man as he tried to lay flowers in honor of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg, Russia on Saturday, February 17, 2024
Antonida wrote: ‘The post that so offended Valery P has nothing to do with politics, but politics kills the souls of my compatriots. And it’s scary.’
She admitted that she no longer wears the yellow jacket.
“I’ve already changed my coat because of the season,” she said.
“But because of (the complaint) I certainly wouldn’t change it.”
Speaking to Russian independent newspaper Baza, she said: “I decided to talk about this so that people understand that they need to be careful – there is no guarantee that the people around you are normal.”