Harassment or a mistake? Man from the night train to Kyiv denies a woman's accusations

Social media have already passed judgment, while the investigation has only just begun: the man on the train denies the harassment

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20 Jun 2026

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The story of allegations of sexual harassment in the platzkart carriage of the train Одеса – Київ, which was reported on the eve of June 19, has developed further. A statement from the man the passenger named as involved in the incident has appeared on social media.

The man categorically denies the accusations of harassment. According to him, he was traveling to Kyiv with his son, who has developmental difficulties, for a scheduled medical examination. He claims that at night he only climbed down from the upper berth to get water, and did not commit any sexual actions toward the passenger. The man also said that after his photo and the accusations were spread on social media, threats began to be directed at his family.

The day before, the train passenger told another version of events on Threads. According to her, at around four in the morning she woke up because a neighbor in the platzkart carriage was touching her breasts. The woman said that at first she thought it was her imagination, but after opening her eyes she saw a man nearby. In her account, he later moved closer and again touched her hand, trying to reach her breasts. The passenger also reported that she contacted the conductor, but allegedly did not receive proper assistance. After the publicity, “Ukrzaliznytsia” and law enforcement became interested in the situation.

A local resident contacted the Kyiv police with a statement that during the trip in the platzkart carriage an unknown man touched parts of her body without her voluntary consent. Investigators of the Darnytskyi Police Department opened a criminal case under part 1 of Article 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – sexual violence, that is, actions of a sexual nature without penetration committed without the voluntary consent of the person. Law enforcement officers are establishing all the circumstances of the incident, checking the testimonies of the parties and questioning possible witnesses. The investigators must give a final assessment of what happened in the carriage after examining the evidence.

At present there are two opposing versions in the public sphere. The passenger reports unwanted sexual touches, while the man fully denies her allegations and claims his actions were misinterpreted. It is important that the mere fact of opening a criminal case does not automatically establish the guilt of a specific person. At the same time, the woman’s statement must be properly verified, and the circumstances of the incident established in a lawful manner.

A separate problem has been the wave of public harassment. The dissemination of photographs, personal data and threats before the conclusion of the investigation can harm both participants in the incident and their relatives who are not connected to the possible offense. In this situation, answers should come not from comments on Threads or from a self-styled “social media court”, but from the results of the official investigation.

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