Scandal over blogger Arbusova's visits to Lychakiv Cemetery

Behaviour at Lychakiv Cemetery sparked outrage

Internet activist and "Supermama" project participant Anastasia Arbusova became the target of mass criticism after a walk through the Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv. Online users deemed her behaviour inappropriate near the burial sites of prominent Ukrainian figures, specifically linguist Iryna Fariyon and artist Stepan Hiha. The main cause of the scandal was the blogger's overly cheerful mood, which she displayed on video, as well as her public sarcastic comments.

Dispute with Iryna Fariyon's daughter

Initially, public attention was drawn to Arbusova's posts near Iryna Fariyon's grave. The blogger filmed a clip showing the burial site covered in flowers, and later published photos with provocative captions. She expressed the opinion that the linguist's position was controversial and drew attention to the absence of a monument on the grave of the former People's Deputy.

«Увага, знавці! Через скільки ставиться пам’ятник на могилі? Скільки він робиться, якщо це витвір мистецтва? Пост із сарказмом. Хочу дізнатись, які всі експерти», – написала Арбузова у соцмережі. ("Attention, experts! How long does it take to install a monument on a grave? How long does it take to make one if it is a work of art? A sarcastic post. I want to find out what kind of experts they all are," Arbusova wrote on social media.)

Iryna Fariyon's daughter, Sofiia Osoba, commented on this publication. She called the blogger's actions "rude" and explained the details of the monument's installation.

«Може, перед наступною "інспекцією" поцікавитеся, скільки часу створюється авторський пам’ятник, який є витвором мистецтва, а не готовою плитою з каталогу? Пам’ятник буде. Такий, на який заслуговує Ірина Фаріон. І стоятиме він не для вашої оцінки чи фотографії. А поки навчіться відрізняти вшанування пам’яті від бажання влізти туди, куди вас ніхто не запрошував. Могила моєї мами – не об’єкт вашого контролю», – наголосила Особа. ("Perhaps, before your next 'inspection', you might be interested in how long it takes to create an author's monument, which is a work of art, not a ready-made slab from a catalogue? There will be a monument. One that Iryna Fariyon deserves. And it will stand not for your evaluation or photography. In the meantime, learn to distinguish between honouring memory and the desire to intrude where you have not been invited. My mother's grave is not an object of your control," Osoba emphasised.)

Blogger's reaction to criticism

After the incident gained widespread coverage, Anastasia Arbusova explained her actions. She noted that she did not have enough information about Iryna Fariyon, but after publishing the photos, she began receiving numerous ambiguous messages. According to her, this prompted her sarcastic post.

«Мені почали писати, що її донька Соня зібрала гроші на пам’ятник, що вони посадили невинну людину, що в ту могилу треба було плюнути. Я думала: навіщо мені ця інформація? Просто показувала, хто там похований. А мені писали про пам’ятник знову й знову. Я подумала: які ж усі експерти зі встановлення пам’ятників! Ну яке вам діло? Це за ваші гроші його ставитимуть? Це її право, ставити пам’ятник чи ні. Тож я напівжартома написала: "А ну, панове експерти, через який час встановлюють пам’ятник?", – розповіла блогерка. ("People started writing to me that her daughter Sonya had raised money for a monument, that they had imprisoned an innocent person, that I should have spat on that grave. I thought: why do I need this information? I was just showing who is buried there. And they kept writing to me about the monument. I thought: what experts they all are at installing monuments! What business is it of yours? Are they going to install it with your money? It is her right to install a monument or not. So, half in jest, I wrote: 'Come on, gentlemen experts, how long does it take to install a monument?'," the blogger recounted.)

Arbusova also stated that she had sent a private message to Sofiia Osoba, noting that she had not intended to judge her for the lack of a monument, but rather wanted to offer support, stating that no one should interfere in this situation. She did not receive a reply from the linguist's daughter.

«У мене й раніше були конфлікти з публічними людьми: вони зазвичай можуть щось казати лише у себе в соцмережах, а в особисті не відповідають. Я не з полохливих. Можу написати, зателефонувати, пояснити. Для мене це нормально», – додала учасниця «Супермами». ("I have had conflicts with public figures before: they usually can only say something on their own social media, but do not reply to private messages. I am not a nervous person. I can write, call, and explain. For me, this is normal," the "Supermama" participant added.)

Video near Stepan Hiha's grave

The second part of the scandal was a video filmed by Arbusova near the grave of People's Artist of Ukraine Stepan Hiha. The blogger searched for the burial site for about an hour, after which she admired the well-kept appearance of the grave and stated that she had been a fan of the artist. Throughout the clip, she behaved cheerfully and sometimes laughed, which caused outrage in the comments.

Online users wrote: "Why are you laughing? This is not a place for laughter," "People come to a grave to pray and remember with kind words, not to laugh. Something is wrong with this lady's head," "I am shocked. At least bring some flowers. And who allows her to film? She will do anything to get a video, and she is even cackling. I think his relatives are crying for him, mourning, and here she is cackling."

Anastasia Arbusova did not understand the reason for such a sharp reaction. She is convinced that the idea that everyone must cry at a cemetery is a Soviet narrative.

«Смерть – це початок нового. Нещодавно я сама коштом власним поховала людину, тож розумію, що таке похорон і що таке кладовище. А в них справді радянське мислення: на кладовищі всі мають плакати й побиватися», – заявила блогерка. ("Death is the beginning of something new. Recently, I buried a person at my own expense, so I understand what a funeral is and what a cemetery is. And they really have a Soviet mindset: everyone must cry and wail at the cemetery," the blogger stated.)