Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze has taken to Facebook to voice her rage about an Easter egg decorating kit allowing consumers to deck their eggs out in a Matryoshka outfit.
"You're coming home late from work…realize that there's no time to cook for the celebration of Easter, go into a store to somehow try to catch up on the chores, and your eye catches this offer to decorate your eggs and receive a moral blow below the belt at the same time. Why? Because our creative manufacturers are promoting the decoration of Easter eggs with Matryoshkas," the official wrote.
According to Klympush-Tsintsadze, the product was a sign that Ukrainians were suffering from a "sickness of the mind," and the government can't seem to do anything about it. Posting photos of the packaging, the deputy prime minister asked for advice on how to prevent such insults from being repeated in the future.
Klympush-Tsintsadze's followers offered moral support, with a user named Viktoria insisting that this was a "deliberate provocation" by Russia. Others called for "vigilance" and proposed to write to the manufacturer to withdraw the products from store shelves.
Some, however, found the hysteria over a box of Easter decorations absurd, and flooded Twitter with a series of sarcastic remarks. "This is a very serious threat to Ukraine's national security," Alexander wrote. "It's clear that the Kremlin was the supplier of the Matryoshkas; the UN Security Council must be informed. Ukraine is in danger," Ivan added.
"In a store here [in Russia] they sell 'Ukrainian' soft rolls. When I eat them I don't feel any drop in my morale. If you don't like Matryoshka dolls, just don't paint your eggs with them," one commenter wisely suggested.
Укру опять побили….в этот раз матрешки….ударом в пах!
— Agent VVP (@DM55283) 6 апреля 2018 г.
Вице-премьер по вопросам евроатлант интеграции Укр Климпуш-Цинцадзе раскритиковала пасхальные яйца с изображением матрешки, которые, нанесли Киеву «удар ниже пояса». Чиновница увидела «след РФ"
И Водку запретить в Укре! pic.twitter.com/pwpW1GrfA7
"The Ukrainians have outdone themselves again, this time with Matryoshkas with a blow below the belt…"
Finally, a few users pointed out that while the Matryoshka may be a contemporary symbol of Russia, the concept itself only came to the country in the early 20th century.
Климпуш-Цинцадзе не в курсе, что матрёшка пришла к нам из Японии в виде старика мудреца Фукурумы. Она (Климпуш-Цинцадзе) на Япов бочку катит, не?
— Vyacheslav (@shs120120) 6 апреля 2018 г.
"Does Mrs. Klympush-Tsintsadze know that the Matryoshka came to us from Japan in the form of the Wise old Man Fukuruma? She should be attacking the Japanese, no?"
Ukraine, like Russia, celebrates Easter on April 8 under the Orthodox Christian tradition. The Russian Orthodox Church remains the largest of the three Orthodox denominations in Ukraine, and the largest Christian denomination in the country.
