A Russian representative snatched a Ukraine flag from a lawmaker of the country, triggering a one-on-one fight at an international conference, showed a viral video this morning.
The dramatic incident played out in Turkey capital Ankara during the 61st Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Community on Thursday, over 14 months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
🥊 In Ankara 🇹🇷, during the events of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Community, the representative of Russia 🇷🇺 tore the flag of Ukraine 🇺🇦 from the hands of a 🇺🇦 Member of Parliament.
— Jason Jay Smart (@officejjsmart) May 4, 2023
The 🇺🇦 MP then punched the Russian in the face. pic.twitter.com/zUM8oK4IyN
Ukrainian Oleksandr Marikovskyi was seen holding his country's flag when the unidentified Russian representative approached him, ripped his flag and started walking away, the video showed.
The MP gave him a chase and rained punches. He was intercepted by other officials but after he snatched the flag back.
Sharing a video of the incident on Facebook, he wrote in Ukrainian: "Paws away from our flag."
Others present at the spot were seen filming the incident.
The flare-up in tensions between the two warring nations come a day after Russia claimed Ukraine tried to assassinate President Vladimir Putin with a drone attack on the Kremlin, an accusation denied by Ukraine.
The Black Sea Economic Community was formed over 30 years ago and both Russia and Ukraine are its members. It aims at "working towards peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region."
