In Kyiv, a driver referred to a soldier as "drunken scum": all the details of the scandal (photos).

The driver of one of the capital's minivans referred to military officer Ksenia Ponomareva as "drunken scum" during her ride on public transport. She reported this on her Facebook page.

The woman noted that this was not the first incident with the driver—just a few days prior, the same man had already kicked her out of a trolleybus. According to the military officer, this time he was driving route No. 410 and suddenly took off after a stop while she was trying to present her combat veteran ID inside the vehicle.

"He started yelling immediately, switching to 'you.' I replied that I remembered his attitude towards us, and he slammed the brakes, causing me to fall. I landed right in the aisle on the floor, covered in dirty mush from wet snow," Ksenia Ponomareva recounted.

After that, the driver called her "drunken scum." The woman emphasized that she was coming from an English language course for military personnel for further training, and after a concussion, she can barely see with one eye and moves slowly. During the incident, none of the passengers in the vehicle offered assistance to the military officer or reprimanded the driver.

"It is unacceptable when being affiliated with the Armed Forces of Ukraine provokes desires to insult, to call scum, whore, etc., to beat, to stab with a knife, or even to blow up. How far has the Ukrainian society fallen into disrespect?" she remarked.

Incident with military officer in Kyiv: reaction

The incident was met with a response from the State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety. They noted that an internal investigation into the incident has been initiated, and the driver has been suspended from duty. The agency added that additional briefings will be conducted with drivers regarding compliance with traffic rules and passenger safety on urban routes in Kyiv.

Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration Timur Tkachenko added that there are instances in the capital where minivan drivers refuse free passage to military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He pointed out that this driver's behavior was unacceptable.

"I emphasize that such behavior must be eradicated. Protection and social guarantees for military personnel are fundamental and a basic expression of gratitude for what they do for each of us daily," Timur Tkachenko stated.

Let us remind you that on January 15, it became known that force was used against lawyer Maria Naselenko at the Bucha Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support. The woman has a 3rd group disability due to an illness acquired during military service, is a volunteer, and the mother of a volunteer.

Additionally, on February 17, the head of the communications department of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vitaliy Sarantsev publicized a performance by students of school No. 309 in Kyiv during a festive concert. In the act, a military officer was beaten by a civilian.