In Odesa, a young man tore down the national flag on Shevchenko Avenue and trampled on it

On Shevchenko Avenue in Odesa, a man tore the national flag down from a pharmacy building, threw it onto the pavement, and began stomping on it. He now faces up to three years in prison.

This was reported by the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Odesa region.

The incident occurred late in the evening on July 12. An eyewitness notified the police about the incident.

The investigation established that a 23-year-old Odessa resident tore the national flag from the facade of the pharmacy. He threw the flag onto the pavement, stomped on it, and later also broke the wooden flagpole.

<picture></picture>Photo: Press Service of the National Police in the Odesa region

After committing the act, the perpetrator left the scene. However, in less than half an hour, he was tracked down by National Guard soldiers who were patrolling the street. The man was taken to the local police station.

He attributed his actions to intoxication and expressed remorse for what he had done. The court imposed a preventive measure in the form of nighttime house arrest.

The suspect admitted his guilt, expressed remorse, and explained that he had committed the act while intoxicated. The court imposed a preventive measure in the form of nighttime house arrest.

After the pretrial investigation was completed, police filed an indictment with the court under Part 1 of Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—public desecration of the State Flag of Ukraine.

If the court finds the man guilty, he faces up to three years in prison.

This is not the first time that state symbols and memorial flags have been desecrated in Odesa. Earlier, Intent reported that around midnight on European Square, a man set fire to blue-and-yellow flags and shouted incomprehensible phrases near a large national flag.

Another high-profile incident occurred in May 2024. At that time, police detained a 28-year-old woman who, while intoxicated, relieved herself on European Square, where national flags and banners honoring Ukraine’s fallen defenders are displayed.

In July, the court hearing in this case was postponed because the defendant failed to appear in court.

Ірина Глухова