In Ivano-Frankivsk, a woman set a Ukrainian flag on fire

In Ivano-Frankivsk, a 47-year-old woman was detained after she set fire to the Ukrainian national flag in the city center. The incident occurred on October 27 at around 3:20 p.m. Eyewitnesses called the police, and investigators opened a criminal case regarding public desecration of state symbols.

 

The incident occurred on the afternoon of October 27. According to the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Police, the woman set fire to the Ukrainian flag in the city center. Eyewitnesses noticed the incident. They immediately contacted law enforcement, after which police arrived at the scene. Law enforcement officers located the woman and identified her.

She is a 47-year-old resident of Ivano-Frankivsk. To clarify all the circumstances, she was taken to the district police department. Police noted that the woman had no prior criminal record. However, she had previously come to the attention of law enforcement due to property-related offenses. It is currently unknown what exactly prompted her to set the flag on fire. The motives behind her actions are still being investigated.

What punishment does the law provide for?

Investigators have opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This provision establishes liability for publicly desecrating the National Flag, the National Emblem, or the National Anthem of Ukraine. The woman was detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This provision allows law enforcement officers to detain a person without a prior ruling by an investigating judge under circumstances specified by law, in particular if the person is caught in the act of committing a criminal offense or immediately afterward.

The Ivano-Frankivsk District Prosecutor’s Office is overseeing the investigation. Law enforcement officials are currently establishing all the circumstances of the incident. The opening of criminal proceedings and the detention do not yet mean that the woman’s guilt has been proven. A final decision regarding her liability can only be made by a court.

What the Constitution Says About State Symbols

Ukraine’s state symbols are defined in Article 20 of the Constitution. These include the National Flag, the National Emblem, and the National Anthem. The National Flag of Ukraine is a rectangular panel consisting of two equal horizontal stripes: a blue upper stripe and a yellow lower stripe. The procedure for using state symbols is determined by law.

Public desecration of the flag is a criminal offense. Meanwhile, the investigation into the incident in Ivano-Frankivsk is ongoing, and law enforcement officials have not yet disclosed the woman’s motives or other details of her actions. This was reported by the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Police.