Ukraine Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar announced that she had ordered an “immediate” meeting with Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the country’s high jumper and a junior army sergeant who was seen emotionally hugging new Russian champion Maria Lasitskene, an army athlete with CSKA.
Unimpressed Malyar accused Mahuchikh of “careless behavior” and a lack of understanding of what she described as the current “Russian-Ukrainian war”, adding that the bronze medalist’s perceived indiscretion “may become the object of the enemy’s information special operations.”
While Malyar told critics who have reacted furiously to Mahuchikh to stop targeting the 19-year-old, the politician also confirmed that she would be speaking to the athlete upon her return from Tokyo.