Blogger Olena Mandziuk. Photo by elena_mandziuk / Instagram / hromadske

The National Police has opened a case against blogger Olena Mandziuk, who wrote in a recent Instagram post that her children “can kick someone’s *ass” for speaking Russian.

This was reported by MP Oleksiy Honcharenko, who had contacted the police about the matter, writes hromadske.

In response to Honcharenko’s parliamentary address, the Khmelnytskyi oblast police reported that the case had been filed under Part 1 of Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (willful actions inciting national, racial or religious enmity and hatred, humiliation of national honor and dignity).

Mandziuk may face a fine of 200 to 500 tax-free minimum incomes, restriction of liberty for up to five years, or up to three years of imprisonment with or without a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to three years.

Olena Mandziuk called Honcharenko a “pro-Russian animal” in an Instagram post. She added that her husband has been fighting in the army for four years that and her children “perceive Russian-speaking people as a threat.”

“So tell me, who is being oppressed here? Whom does the state want to imprison, me, a Ukrainian who dreams of a free Ukrainian-speaking space? Do you want to take my children and put them in an orphanage because their dad is at war and their mom is too pro-Ukrainian? Why are homefront Ukrainians being persecuted for their hatred of everything Russian? Why do we have to suffer not just in the war, but also at home? Why does the state turn a blind eye to pro-Russian evil and punish those who fight against it?” Mandziuk wrote.

She also noted that she has a “wonderful lawyer,” adding that the case “will be closed before it even begins.”

Previously

On 14 July, Mandziuk wrote in a comment under her post that that her children “could kick other children’s *sses” for speaking Russian and she sees no problem with that.

Honcharenko expressed outrage over this on his social media, saying that if there is even one incident of her children attacking another child, he will personally take steps to deprive her of custody rights.

Honcharenko later submitted a parliamentary address to the police and the Commissioner’s Office.