Poles Stage Apple-Eating Social Media Campaign to ‘Annoy Putin’

Did you know that Poland is basically apple central? Yes, the Eastern European nation happens to be the largest exporter of apples the world over. And its people are not about to sit idly by while Vladimir Putin blocks their fruity bounty from entering Russia.

On Thursday, what started as the Polish newspaper Puls Biznesu’s call to action, in an editorial titled “Stand against Putin: eat apples, drink cider,” quickly picked up speed online (via The Guardian):

Several Poles have since endorsed the campaign on social media, publishing tongue-in-cheek photographs of themselves or others eating apples on Twitter with the hashtag #jedzjablka (#eatapples), including the head of the national security bureau, Stanislaw Koziej, MEP Roza Thun and presenters at national broadcaster Telewizja Polska. A Facebook page called Jedz Jablka Na Zlosc Putinowi (“Eat apples to annoy Putin”) also sprang up overnight.

Although regulatory reasons were officially cited for cutting off Polish jabłka imports, the apple ban — which, The Guardian notes, also includes other fruits and cabbages — was announced right as the EU was putting the final touches on new sanctions against Russia. Apparently Poles feel as though the timing is not a coincidence.

Meanwhile, in other Putin-vexing news, U.S. Sen. John McCain put it out there Wednesday that Russia might not be the best site for the 2018 World Cup soccer tournament, suggesting in a podcast episode of ESPN/ABC’s “Capital Games” that a less “controversial” country would be preferable, but allowed that having that decision come exclusively from the U.S. “would not bode well.”

–Posted by Kasia Anderson