Monobank Account Blocked Over Flag Misidentification: Slovenian Symbol Mistaken for Russian.

Account Blocked for Karina Kolb

According to TSN.ua: A Monobank customer, Karina Kolb, has expressed outrage after her account was blocked because a flag visible during a video verification was allegedly Russian. She asserts her views are pro-Ukrainian and that the flag behind her was, in fact, Slovenian. The incident occurred on March 1, 2023, causing difficulties for Karina, who had fled Kharkiv as a refugee to Slovenia and later moved to Germany. This case highlights the heightened tensions and potential for error in the digital verification processes used by Ukrainian institutions during wartime.

Karina noted that members of her family continue to fight on the front lines and she did not want to be publicly scrutinized due to a mistaken perception.

“I was born in Ukraine and I love it,” she emphasized.

“This person, without understanding the situation, allowed themselves to put me on public display.”

Monobank's Response

Monobank co-founder Oleg Gorokhovsky confirmed the account was blocked due to the appearance of what was perceived as aggressor-state symbolism during the video call. In response to the situation, the bank's representative, Serhii Hnezdilov, stated he would not want to harm Monobank, which does much for the country and Ukraine's Armed Forces. As part of reviewing the incident, the bank plans to apologize to the woman and promises that in the future it will at least blur clients' faces when creating internal memes. Furthermore, if clients are suspected of pro-Russian sentiment, Monobank will refer the matter to law enforcement agencies.

The blocking of Karina Kolb's account underscores the sensitivity and complexity of identity and symbolic perception in a war context. As Ukrainians living abroad may face misunderstandings over cultural or national symbols, banks and other financial institutions must exercise caution. Monobank's reaction to this situation suggests a willingness to adapt its procedures to new realities and avoid similar misunderstandings going forward. The flags of Slovenia and Russia share a similar color scheme of white, blue, and red horizontal stripes, which can lead to confusion, especially in low-resolution video.