A video of an argument allegedly between a brave Ukrainian and a restrained Russian soldier, in Ukraine, has gone viral.
The woman in the video confronts two men wearing what appear to be military uniforms and bearing rifles. She reportedly curses at them for invading her country, calls them occupiers and asks them to put sunflower seeds in their pockets to mark where they land when they die.
A translation of the encounter provided by Mashable Editor Chris Taylor details the encounter.
When she reaches the soldiers, she is told to go away, upon which she asks if they are Russians. The man replies they are.
“So, what the f#!* are you doing here?” she demanded.
The apparent soldier tried to deflect her anger, saying the conversation was pointless, and she erupted with anger, calling them fascist occupiers.
“What the f#!* are you doing on our land with all these guns?” she asked, as she tried to give him some sunflower seeds. Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine. “Take these seeds and place them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here.”
“Right now, our discussion will lead nowhere,” he responded. “Let’s not escalate this situation, please.”
“What situation,” she rejoined coyly. “Put the sunflower seeds in your pockets, please. You will lie down here with the seeds. You came to my land. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” answered the man.
Watch:
It can be hard to discern real acts from state-sponsored disinformation.
Ukraine seems to have taken a page from the Russia disinformation playbook in at least a few instances. An Associated Press fact check has already debunked three Ukraine reports of wins against Russian military.
For instance, a photo of a burning plane was falsely identified as a Russian jet shot down by Ukraine. According to the AP, it shows a pilot ejecting from a burning Russian MiG-29 after it collided with another plane during a British air show, in July 1993.
If the encounter seen in the video is factual, the woman is very brave. Not every soldier in an invading army would show such restraint.
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