The Czech government official sparked a wave of controversy with his unusual attire during an official meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Prague
Tomáš Kopečný, responsible for reconstruction issues concerning Ukraine, appeared at the official event wearing socks depicting the burning Kremlin. This did not go unnoticed and provoked sharp criticism from Russian politicians and media outlets, who immediately questioned his intentions and the nature of the gesture. According to information published on the TN.cz portal and cited by "European Pravda," the incident occurred last week during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s official visit to Prague. During his meeting with the Czech government leader and other officials, 49-year-old Tomáš Kopečný appeared in unusual socks that visually symbolized the burning Kremlin. This elicited surprise and mixed reactions among Russian political figures and the public. In particular, Andriy Klimov, deputy chairman of the Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, issued a loud critical statement, saying that such "symbolic gestures speak to a deep level of aggression and ill-manneredness." According to him, Kopečný "wears socks and underwear, and possibly orthopedic insoles — and this fully reflects his psychological state." He added, "Why do we look at these degenerates as if our lives depend on them? These are sick people; they need to see a psychiatrist." This incident was also widely covered in Russian media, including several articles criticizing Ukrainian gestures and symbols. Kopečný himself responded to the criticism by emphasizing that his act was a kind of message. "Russia has been bombarding Ukrainian cities with missiles for four years, killing innocent people —" he stated. "It’s normal for them, and they don’t notice it. But when Ukrainian socks symbolically depict what their city might look like after experiencing similar destruction, it made them extremely angry." In his view, such a reaction indicates a misunderstanding and poor perception of the situation, as "they are more interested in seeing this picture than understanding the reality and depth of the conflict." This is not the first time Russian politicians have expressed outrage or sharp hostility towards actions and gestures by Western politicians, especially Czechs. For example, at the end of April, Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current Security Council secretary, sharply criticized former national hockey team player Dominik Gashka, implying that Moscow might take measures to "remove" him from political or public discourse. The incident with the socks in Prague highlights not only symbolic but also emotional tension in the relations between Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Russia. At the same time, it underscores how strongly opposition to Russian propaganda, rejection of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and the desire of Ukrainian and Western politicians to seize any opportunity to demonstrate support for Ukrainian sovereignty and fight Kremlin propaganda remain deeply felt. Overall, this incident with the unusual gesture of the Czech official serves as further confirmation of how emotional and crisis-ridden international relations remain amidst ongoing war and political tension in the region.