Woman is interrogated by Russian police for 'showing support for Ukraine' by wearing a yellow coat against a blue sky as Putin's hunt for enemies hits absurd new low

The hunt for supporters of Ukraine in Russia sank to a new level when a woman was interrogated by police for wearing her yellow down jacket against a vaguely blue sky.

Journalist Antonida Smolina, 38, was reported by an anonymous accuser of promoting the colours of Ukraine after she posted photos of her wearing the jacket on social media.

In doing so, she was 'discrediting' Putin's army, it was alleged.

After posting the picture she found she was the subject of a police probe by Vladimir Putin's law enforcement.

'A district police officer came to me,' said the journalist from Veliky Ustyug. 'He said that a certain Valery P wrote a statement against me to the police.'

Antonida was said to be 'causing associations with enemy symbols, discrediting our government and army'.

Antonida Smolina, 38, was accused of 'discrediting Putin's army' because she was pictured in a yellow down jacket against a vaguely blue sky,

After posting the picture Antonida found she was the subject of a police probe by Vladimir Putin's law enforcement

'A district police officer came to me,' the journalist said. 'He said that a certain Valery P wrote a statement against me to the police.'

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, March 23, 2024

'My down jacket is three years old, and my salary does not allow me to buy new clothes every time the public assessment of a particular colour changes,' Smolina said.

'And the colour of my down jacket, to be very strict, is not yellow, but ''Crayola''.'

She was forced to write a formal response to the accusation and the police will decide what action to take.

Social media users mocked draconian new laws in Russia which have led to people seeing enemies everywhere linked to the war against Ukraine.

'Yellow is banned? The rainbow is banned? The triumph of greyness,' said one.

'The next step is to ban the yellow sun against the blue sky. This is enemy symbolism', posted another.

A further comment read: 'Soon a criminal case will be opened against the sky and the sun if someone doesn't like it.'

One more mocking post read: 'The sky is recognised as extremist and is banned in the Russian Federation. However, it is still present, like the Taliban.'

Antonida wrote: 'The post that so offended Valery P has nothing to do with politics, but politics is killing the souls of my fellow countrymen. And it's scary'

Antonida told outlet Baza: 'You need to be careful because there is no guarantee that the people around you are normal'

FILE - Police detain a man as he wanted to lay flowers to honour Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg, Russia on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024

Antonida wrote: 'The post that so offended Valery P has nothing to do with politics, but politics is killing the souls of my fellow countrymen. And it's scary.'

She admitted she has stopped wearing the yellow jacket.

'I have already changed my jacket due to the season,' she said.

'But I definitely wouldn't change it because of [the complaint].'

Speaking to Russian independent outlet Baza, she said: 'I decided to talk about this so that people understand that they need to be careful – there is no guarantee that the people around you are normal.'