The Ukrainian comedy troupe Kvartal 95 has come under intense criticism for a controversial New Year’s Eve sketch mocking women from the occupied city of Skadovsk for their Ukrainian language abilities. The skit has struck a raw nerve in Ukrainian society, which is still reeling from Russia’s brutal invasion and struggling to defend the Ukrainian language and culture. The sketch has revealed some profound fissures – over regional identities, gender roles, wartime sensitivities, russian disinformation tactics, limits of political satire, and more. It warrants a deeper discussion around ethics, values, and responsible nation-building. This post summarizes the perspectives expressed and key questions raised in the intense debate sparked by the 10-minute sketch.
Context
The Ukrainian satirical troupe Kvartal 95 aired a sketch for New Year’s Eve on the national TV channel 1+1 that sparked outrage across Ukraine. The 10-minute sketch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh35pQ5SeHk) featured a caricature of a russian-speaking woman from the occupied city of Skadovsk in southern Ukraine, who has moved to Transcarpathia in western Ukraine and is trying to speak Ukrainian.
The woman introduces herself as being “from Skadovsk,” but in her broken Ukrainian it comes out as “I’m tittyfromskadovsk” (using a vulgar word for breasts). This mockery of the Ukrainian language and the woman’s Eastern Ukrainian identity continued throughout the sketch. Many Ukrainians found it to be in poor taste and demeaning towards both the people of Skadovsk and Ukrainian-language learners.
Skadovsk, a port city on the Black Sea, has been under russian occupation since February 2022. Thousands of its citizens have fled while those remaining live under brutal repression. Numerous Skadovsk residents have been imprisoned and killed by russian forces for any display of Ukrainian patriotism.
The mayor of Skadovsk condemned Kvartal 95’s sketch as offensive towards his occupied city. Many of Skadovsk’s internally displaced residents also voiced criticism. A journalist (https://kavun.city/articles/334702/evgeniya-virlich-podala-skargu-do-komisii-z-zhurnalistskoi-etiki-na-skadovskij-vipusk-kvartalu) submitted an official complaint to Ukraine’s Journalism Ethics Commission decrying the sketch as discriminatory and humiliating.
Kvartal 95 and TV channel 1+1 have since apologized and plan to remove the controversial sketch from the New Year’s broadcast https://detector.media/infospace/article/221308/2024-01-03-11-poobitsyala-vydalyty-skandalnyy-nomer-kvartalu-pro-pereselenku-siskadovska-z-yutubu-i-vyrizaty-iz-zapysu-kontsertu/ , acknowledging they touched a nerve in Ukrainian society that is still grieving from russia’s ongoing invasion. However, the incident has fueled discussion about the appropriate limits of satire during wartime.
Analyses
Here are the summary of concerns people in Ukraine expressed as they were upset with the Kvartal 95 performance mocking Skadovsk residents, and what should be done to set things right:
Skadovsk is under russian occupation and residents are suffering, it’s cruel to mock them. Kvartal should apologize and people should decide whether they will continue watching Kvartal shows.
The jokes relied on stereotypes that Eastern Ukrainians don’t speak Ukrainian well. This is offensive and discriminatory. Stop watching Kvartal shows.
Making fun of Ukrainian language learners is wrong. They should be encouraged not mocked.
Many believe Kvartal often echoes russian propaganda narratives against pro-Ukraine figures. This perpetuates divisions. People of Ukraine need to reflect why they are still watching Kvartal show.
Kvartal had previously mocked Maidan protestors and the Ukrainian army. This breeds distrust towards them. People are still watching Kvartal show. People of Ukraine need to reflect what entertainers they want to support
The mayor of occupied Skadovsk condemned the act. Kvartal should engage with him and apologize before people of Skadovsk
Skadovsk internally displaced residents voiced criticism too. Kvartal should hear them out.
A journalist lodged an ethics complaint over the discriminatory caricature. The complaint should be reviewed seriously.
The television network 1+1 aired the offensive sketch. They also need to take responsibility.
Kvartal’s humor often relies on vulgarity and contradicting social values many Ukrainians espouse. They need to reevaluate their brand. People need to re-evaluate what they watch on TV.
The sketch singled out women as the butt of jokes regarding language-switching. This compounds the offense. Audience need to reflect what makes them laugh and how Kvartal humour discriminates people based on their gender and geographic location
Viewers say the live audience appeared packed with paid claques, not genuine laughter. The truth should be investigated.
Impersonating accents and dialects always risks going from humour into mockery. Extra sensitivity is required now.
Leaders should be uniting Ukrainians regardless of language or region, not enabling divides. Kvartal should reflect deeply here.
Government arts funding currently goes to Kvartal’s projects. Reviewing that support would send a message about values expected. Conflict of interest with the current president who was the former Kvartal member needs to be addressed.
Kvartal still haven’t directly communicated with Skadovsk residents to apologize and make amends. They need to.
While humour is subjective, they should not have selected an occupied city as the target when most Ukrainians are grieving wartime losses.
Ukrainian-language education remains contested by Moscow. Mocking ordinary citizens’ Ukrainian language abilities serves the Kremlin’s aims.
If Kvartal truly cares about supporting Ukrainian language, as they claim, they should donate their talents to displaced and war-impacted school programs.
The Kvartal 95 skit scandal reveals the dominance of “laugh culture” in guiding ethics, rather than the reverse. As W.H Auden warned, “A culture is no better than its woods.” For Ukraine to nurture the seeds of social cohesion vital to defeating russia’s imperialist ambitions, serious soul-searching is needed on the values that Ukrainian identity should be rooted in. Responsible, ethical humour has an important role to play. But first, establishing moral red lines around exploiting human trauma for punchlines is paramount. Laughter should unite people, not separate them. Ukraine’s future depends on such collective growth – and the ability to laugh together again, not divided. Individuals in Ukraine must decide which shows to watch, entertainers to support, and the nature of the content that brings them joy.
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