'Are you from Ukraine?' Brutal attack on 2 female refugees in Czechia: What's known
Two Ukrainian women were brutally beaten in Czechia (Collage Styler)
In the Czech city of Plasy, a brutal attack took place on two Ukrainian women. An unknown man approached them on the street and initially began insulting them, then proceeded to use physical violence. One of the victims ended up in the hospital with serious injuries. The entire incident happened in front of children.
What happened, and how the Czech police reacted – read in the report below.
Are you from Ukraine?
34-year-old Lilia and 44-year-old Tetiana were strolling in the city of Plasy, north of Plzeň on a weekend. Initially, the Ukrainians took their children to a carousel and then sat down to chat. The children, aged 11 and 2, were nearby.
As Tetiana recounted, an old Skoda Octavia car with a trailer approached them, and the man at the wheel asked if they were from Ukraine. Then the car drove a few more meters, the driver left the engine running and headed towards the women.
Initially, the man started insulting them and then attacked the Ukrainians with his fists.
"At first, I was struck in the face three times. Then he started pulling my hair to make me stand up. And then he attacked Lilia," Tetiana told Novinky.cz.
While the attacker turned to her friend, Tetiana seized the moment, ran to his car, and removed the keys from the ignition lock so he couldn't escape before the police arrived.
Next, the Ukrainian woman aimed to call the police, but two men ran up behind her and hit her with a fist on her back. The woman dropped the keys, and the attacker immediately picked them up, got into the car, and drove away.
Passersby – two girls and a boy – came to help the Ukrainian women. They called the police and an ambulance, as Lilia was lying on the ground with blood streaming down her face.
Tetiana could photograph the license plate of the car and provide this information to a police patrol. She also described the appearance of the attacker.
She ended up with just bruises, while Lilia was much more severely injured. She only remembered three blows, before she lost consciousness. She regained consciousness in the hospital. Doctors diagnosed her with an open fracture of the jaw, as well as fractures of the cheekbones and nose bones.
What the Czech police said
Police spokesperson Eva Chervenkova stated that her colleagues were investigating all the circumstances of the case. The police did not comment on what is known about the suspect and whether they have managed to find him.
The Ukrainian women note that there was no reason for the attack. They hadn't argued with anyone, there were no disputes or conflicts, and they didn't know the attacker. Tetiana and Lilia had come to Czechia with their children to escape the aggression of Russia last year.
The women speculated that the unfamiliar man's behavior might be related to an unpleasant incident when a young Ukrainian man sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and attempted to kill her.
This crime caused a significant resonance and increased negative sentiment among many Czechs towards refugees from Ukraine.
Later, it became known that the perpetrator was not a refugee and had been living in Czechia for a long time. Currently, he is in custody and an investigation is ongoing. He has already been charged with attempted murder and rape.
"The crime caused a huge resonance, and people's hatred towards Ukrainians intensified. We were locked up in a dormitory, and we were afraid to go out," Tetiana mentioned.
Reactions to the assault on the two Ukrainian women
In Czechia, many politicians have already reacted to the crime committed against the two Ukrainian women.
"This is an unusual crime. It's a manifestation of the most despicable filth that exists in any society – hatred towards a certain group of people. Some 'politicians' work with this and support it," wrote politician Miroslav Kalousek.
"Brutally attacking a woman is disgusting. Attacking her solely because of her nationality is absolutely disgusting. These actions are the result of hateful statements towards Ukrainians, resembling the spread of hatred towards Muslims. Political responsibility lies with those who spread hatred," emphasized Interior Minister Vít Rakusan.
"I feel nauseous from this. What kind of man beats a woman? Two Ukrainian women in Plasy became victims of a total degenerate who attacked them for no reason. With all due respect, the only reason was that they were Ukrainian women. One of them ended up in the hospital. There are no words. Such a person is not civilized. And also Mr. Rajchl and Okamura, who fuel hatred in people. Shame on them," wrote Martin Rybár.
It was also previously reported that in Czechia, a restaurant waiter played the Russian national anthem for Ukrainian refugees.
It was also reported that two-thirds of Ukrainians in Czechia lived below the poverty line.
