Amid missile attacks, Russian soldiers send Tinder requests to Ukrainians: Report
2 min read 25 Feb 2022, 06:31 PM ISTUN aid agencies said on Friday that fuel, cash and medical supplies are running low in parts of Ukraine after Russia's invasion, which could drive up to 5 million people to flee abroad
PremiumAs missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, Russian forces are pressing their advances in other ways too.
Several women in Ukraine's Kharkiv have reported that they are receiving a flurry of requests from Russian soldiers on Tinder, according to a report in The Sun.
Dating apps like Tinder show you recommendations based on your geographical location, or the location you set.
As Russian soldiers cross into Ukrainian cities, they have started popping up on Tinder of multiple women like 33-year-old Dasha Synelnikova, who lives in Kyiv but has set her location to Kharkiv, which is just 25 miles from the Russian border.
“I actually live in Kyiv but changed my location settings to Kharkiv after a friend told me there were Russian troops all over Tinder," the woman was quoted as saying by The Sun. “And I couldn’t believe my eyes when they popped up trying to look tough and cool."
She said that the soldiers sported combat gear and wielded weapons in their dating profile photos. She said she rejected most of them but eventually struck up a conversation with one soldier.
Synelnikova asked the soldier if he was in Kharkiv, to which he replied: “Of course I am not in Kharkiv but I am close -- 80km."
“Do you have any plans to visit us?" she asked him.
“I would come with pleasure but Russian guys have not been welcome in Ukraine since 2014," he replied.
Synelnikova said it was funny but scary at the same time, knowing that the troops were so close.
“These guys are just the same as anyone else on Tinder — they want love or companionship," she said.
Meanwhile, UN aid agencies said on Friday that fuel, cash and medical supplies are running low in parts of Ukraine after Russia's invasion, which could drive up to 5 million people to flee abroad.
At least 1,00,000 people are uprooted in Ukraine after fleeing their homes since Russia launched its assault on Thursday, while several thousand have already crossed into neighbouring countries including Moldova, Romania and Poland, UN refugee agency spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said.
"We are looking at ranges of 1-3 million into Poland for example ... A scenario of 1 to 5 mln including all surrounding countries," Mantoo told a UN briefing in Geneva.
Missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Friday as Russian forces pressed their advance. Air raid sirens wailed over the city of 3 million people, where some were sheltering in underground metro stations
