Ukrainian woman attacked in Paris by Russian speakers in alleged hate crime, witness says
Two Russian-speaking women attacked a Ukrainian tourist in Paris and broke her nose; the victim, Yuliia Matviienko, shared details of the incident.
From the victim’s social mediaMatviienko and her friend encountered the attackers, who appeared to be about 22 or 23 years old, on July 18, 2026. That evening, the two were heading to their hotel when they heard two women walking behind them on the street, speaking loudly in Russian.
“[They] heard us discussing that it would be great if some people were quieter, and they started verbally harassing us and stepping closer, acting aggressively. I even had to pull out my metal water bottle to make them back off. It was empty and not very practical, but it scared them. The altercation continued for another 10 minutes. They followed us all that time, tossing out charming phrases like ‘I hope you get bombed,’ claiming they were actually Moldovan, and, of course, using a string of profanities, until we reached an intersection where we purposely turned onto a different road to get away from them,” Matviienko said.
A few minutes later, when the friends went down to the metro, they encountered the attackers again. This time, however, the women began following and filming them, the victim said.
“I turn around – the older brunette had shoved my friend aside and was obviously trying to do something. I pour my cola on her – the only thing in my hands besides paper bags with postcards – to distract her, and I successfully distract her. However, she then switches to me and starts hitting me. I remember the next five or 10 minutes in flashes; everything blurred together. They were kicking and constantly striking my face from above with their hands, mostly the older one, yelling something and preventing us from creating distance or getting away,” Matviienko recalled.
As a result, the woman suffered severe bruising and a fracture of her nasal bones. Because she did not have enough time to visit the police station, Matviienko was unable to file a formal report, as “a preliminary conversation and verbal confirmation of pressing charges are not enough.”
Matviienko believes she was the victim of a hate crime, a view shared by her friend, who witnessed the assault.
“I am at home now, and although my bruises are getting darker and the medication leaves me constantly foggy and slightly nauseous, overall, everything is fine,” she added.
In the comments section of the post, internet users urged the Ukrainian Embassy in France to respond to the situation and assist the victim.
You may also want to read:Man attacks Ukrainian children on bus in Poland; police launch investigation
ZMINA previously reported that over the past six months, reports of attacks on Ukrainians in Poland have increased by 30%.
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