Canadian Ambassador Got a Pro-Ukraine Tattoo. Here’s What It Means

Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine, Natalka Cmoc, got a tattoo on her forearm bearing the symbol of “Zla Mavka,” a Ukrainian women’s non-violent resistance movement active in Russian-occupied territories.

The ambassador posted a photo of the tattoo on Instagram, accompanied by a brief caption: “In solidarity with the women’s resistance in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine — Zla Mavka.”

According to open sources, the Zla Mavka movement was founded by three women in the occupied city of Melitopol ahead of March 8, 2023. Since then, it has expanded to other areas under Russian occupation, including Crimea, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The group is known for its non-violent acts of resistance, including distributing leaflets and stickers with protest messages in cities controlled by Russian forces.

The movement acknowledged the ambassador’s gesture in a social media post, calling it an example of international support for women resisting occupation and encouraging them to continue their activities despite the risks.

Earlier, on January 29, Ukrainian authorities identified a Russian soldier from the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment of Russia’s Western Military District as the main suspect in the kidnapping and prolonged abuse of a 21-year-old woman from the Izyum region.

According to investigators, the soldier allegedly forced the victim into non-consensual acts at gunpoint during the 2022 occupation, later organizing her deportation to Belgorod, Russia, where she was held captive for over a year under conditions of physical and psychological abuse.

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