US—Progressive activists across the United States have abruptly withdrawn their support for Ukraine following the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman, after social media sleuths uncovered what they call a “game-changing” revelation: Ukrainians are, in fact, white.

The shift in sentiment began late last week when a viral X post featuring a photo of Zarutska, a 32-year-old aid worker killed in a targeted attack in Kyiv, sparked a heated debate. “I was all in for Ukraine—blue and yellow flags, the whole deal,” tweeted @WokeWanderer420, a self-described intersectional vegan activist from Portland. “Then I saw her picture. Blonde hair, blue eyes? Hard pass. I’m not here to stan for colonizer aesthetics.”

The backlash was swift. Across college campuses, urban coffee shops, and online forums, leftists who once adorned their profiles with Ukrainian flag emojis began issuing apologies for their “uninformed allyship.” A petition circulating on Change.org, titled “Decolonize Our Solidarity,” demands that all funds raised for Ukrainian refugees be redirected to “more marginalized conflicts.” As of press time, it has garnered 12 signatures.

Dr. Harmony Moonbeam, a professor of Postcolonial TikTok Studies at Berkeley, explained the pivot. “We assumed Ukraine was, like, diverse or something,” she said, adjusting her ethically sourced keffiyeh. “But once you realize they’re just another group of white people with tractors and pierogies, it’s impossible to justify centering them in our activism. Whiteness is violence, and we’re not about that life.”

The revelation has led to a flurry of performative gestures. In Brooklyn, a candlelight vigil for Zarutska was canceled mid-event when organizers discovered her ethnicity. “We lit the candles, but then someone Googled ‘Are Ukrainians white?’ and, well, we had to shut it down,” said organizer Juniper Sage, who now plans to host a “decolonial dance party” instead. In Chicago, a mural depicting Zarutska’s face was hastily painted over with a portrait of a nonspecific “global south warrior” to avoid “platforming privilege.”

Not all reactions have been negative. Some activists have proposed redirecting their efforts to “more inclusive” causes, like fundraising for artisanal quinoa co-ops in unspecified regions. Others have taken to X to demand that Ukraine “do better” by diversifying its population. “If they want our support, they need to center BIPOC voices,” tweeted @DecolonizeNow, alongside a selfie in a “Smash the System” crop top.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials remain baffled. “We are fighting for our lives against an imperialist invasion,” said a spokesperson for the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C. “We didn’t realize our skin color was a prerequisite for international solidarity.”

As the controversy rages on, some leftists are doubling down, arguing that supporting Ukraine was always a “CIA psy-op” to distract from more pressing issues, like pronoun inclusivity in knitting circles. Others have vowed to stay neutral until Ukraine releases an official diversity report.

For now, the blue and yellow flags are coming down, replaced by the latest cause du jour. As one activist put it, “Solidarity is intersectional, or it’s nothing. Also, I’m late for my ethical yoga class.”

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