Watch: Ukrainian and Russian Delegates Brawl at Diplomatic Meeting in Turkey

Delegates from the warring nations of Ukraine and Russia threw hands on Thursday during an assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Ankara after the Russian delegate appeared to snatch a Ukrainian flag from the hands of his adversary.

This week, diplomats from 13 nations of the BSEC met in Ankara, Turkey, for a summit to promote economic prosperity throughout the area.

However, the proceedings were sometimes tense as a result of the Russian Federation’s invasion of its smaller neighbor in February 2022 and the ongoing war between the two countries, which has resulted in numerous awkward and occasionally pugnacious encounters between suited representatives of the Slavic nations.

These tensions came to a head on Thursday when a delegate from Ukraine named Oleksandr Marikovski held up a Ukrainian flag emblazoned with his country’s coat of arms.

Then, a passing Russian delegate proceeded to snatch the blue and yellow banner from the Ukrainian diplomat, walking several paces with the flag crumpled in his fist while female voices were heard giggling in the background.

Marikovski then retaliated by charging at his Russian counterpart, landing several blows on his face and capturing the flag. The fight was diffused by several onlookers who intervened to stop the brawl between the warring national representatives, repeatedly exclaiming “no fighting” in Russian.

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The incident on Thursday was not the only instance of tensions boiling over during the regional summit. A brief scuffle had occurred earlier today between security guards and Ukrainian delegates who attempted to wave a Ukrainian flag beside Russia’s lead delegate as she delivered a speech before the main assembly.

The protest was condemned by Turkish authorities as disrupting “the peaceful environment that Turkey is trying to establish,” reflecting Turkey’s delicate position as it attempts to balance strategic interests in the deeply polarizing Eastern European war.