“I answer the way I am addressed,” Smelyansky comments on the swearing scandal
4 September 2025 13:41
EXCLUSIVE
A real debate has erupted online over the communication style of Ukrposhta CEO Ihor Smelyansky. The primary reason was the users’ outrage over possible pressure from the postal service’s management on its employees due to the failure to comply with the rules for subscribing to periodicals,
One of the users of the social network X wrote a comment in a not very friendly tone at the end of 2024. In his response, Smelyansky also sarcastically emphasized that it is worth focusing not only on subscription issues but also on other serious problems in the industry, especially on failures in the pension delivery system.
In a recent comment, one of the panelists accused the Ukrposhta CEO of being “out of touch with reality” and suggested that the company should switch from subscription services to organizing pension transfers directly to citizens’ bank cards. The social media user did not choose his words carefully, writing a very rude comment.
In response, Smelyansky also did not hold back on his vocabulary. He explained that many rural settlements and areas near the front line remain without banking infrastructure and ATMs, which makes access to financial services difficult for residents, especially for people with disabilities. At the same time, the head of Ukrposhta used an obscene word against the author of the comment, calling him a “mud*k.” The user was labeled by the Ukrposhta CEO as a “moron out of touch with reality”.
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“I respond in the same tone as they address me”
Screenshots of Smelyansky’s comments were published by popular blogger Serhiy Sternenko, which sparked a lively discussion and a wide response online, as many users believe that a public official should not allow himself to do such things to citizens.
The official told us what was the background of the conflict.
“This is a story from about 6 months ago. We have 30,000 employees, and something happens every day. It was about a department head who resigned and had to compensate for certain things. Her son wrote a post, and I replied that I would rather protect her reputation and not cover her “dirty laundry.” She had violations that were established by the Pension Fund of Ukraine. It was not even 18 thousand, but about 8 thousand. The employee reimbursed the money – it’s a normal policy for us,”
– smelyansky explained.
He also responded to comments from users of social network X regarding the tone of communication with subscribers.
“There are a lot of people on X who express themselves there, so to speak. They compensate for their psychological problems by swearing at public figures. And they expect public figures to respond to them in some way? Politely, in a standardized way, and so on. We responded to everyone, politely and in a standard way, and what? No one paid attention,”
– said Ukrposhta CEO, adding that he has a different position.
“I have a fairly simple policy. I answer in exactly the same tone as the person addressed me. A person addresses me and calls me names. I respond in exactly the same tone.
I believe that people should get what they deserve. Therefore, the story of “turning the other cheek” is not about me,”
– he emphasized.
In addition, Smelyansky noted that he personally communicates on social media.
“Yes, Trump himself writes on social media, and I write myself. Because we need to be closer to people,”
– ukrposhta CEO told exclusively.
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