Biathlete Pidhrushna: They destroy my reputation by calling me a sniper
Russian TV host Vladimir Solovyov libels biathlete Olena Pidhrushna as a Ukraine sniper killing people in Sloviansk.
“Did you know that famous Ukrainian biathlete Olena Pidhrushna is a sniper in Sloviansk now? The sportswoman was often shown on Russian TV channels. Her husband Oleksei Kaida is a member of Svoboda. Pidhrushna is a member of the Ukrainian punitive forces now. She is a sniper in Sloviansk and is killing peaceful citizens,” co-leader of ‘the people’s front of Novorossiya’ Konstantin Dolgov said.
It was announced in the most popular analytical programme and the most respected state channel Russia 1. Dolgov was not asked any qualifying questions – everything was accepted as a fact.
Euroradio phoned the world famous biathlete Olena Pidhrushna. She was in Kiev – in the Ministry of Sport (not in the Ministry of Defence). The sensational statements may spoil her reputation, Olena told Euroradio.
“I can certainly feel the negative attitude. I am against being slandered like this. It is much harder to build up reputation than spoil it. My entire career, all the 15 years I have given to Ukraine, may be spoilt by one comment, one photo. It is a real pity.”
She has not been able to discuss the recent events with her Russian colleagues, the biathlete said. She visited Russia during the Olympic Games in Sochi –the Ukrainian women’s team won a gold medal in relay back then. Ukrainian biathletes have no problems contacting Russian colleagues at the moment, Pidhrushna added.
The biathlete is thinking about going to law now. It is necessary to be very careful about this issue, the biathlete thinks.
“I am not ready to answer this question as I have not seen that programme on Russian TV. I do not know if it was on the news or not. All this is very important now.”
Olena Pidhrushna’s story is not the only case like that. Even… Belarusian filmmakers were involved in the Russian -Ukrainian information war against their will. A shot from their film Brest Fortress was distributed on the Internet – the one where a wounded child is crying over Mom’s corpse. Adherents of ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ claim that the picture was made in East Ukraine and that the child’s mother was killed by fascist Ukrainian soldiers.
