It started with a conversation in Ukrainian on a Swiss train. Moments later, there were insults, threats, and demands to leave the carriage. Nowiny Wschodnie reported on the case as early as October 2025. A recording of the aggressive passenger spread online, and after it was published, more people came forward claiming that they too had unpleasant experiences with him. Law enforcement authorities in two countries took an interest in the case. Now, more than a year after the incident, the Bern cantonal prosecutor’s office has issued a decision. What consequences will the man face?
An ordinary trip that turned into a nightmare
On October 13, 2025, Olena Dudnyk was traveling on a Swiss train together with her husband and son. The family is from Ukraine and found refuge in Switzerland after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Nothing indicated a conflict. The woman was speaking Ukrainian with her husband when a nearby Russian-speaking passenger suddenly began reacting aggressively.
According to Dudnyk’s account, the man began insulting the family, using vulgar language, and demanding that she leave the carriage. He was also said to suggest that Ukrainians should not travel together with him.
The woman decided to record the incident on her phone. At one point, the passenger knocked the device out of her hand. A scuffle ensued.
The recording ended up on social media and began to spread rapidly. The man’s behavior sparked outrage among internet users, especially within the Ukrainian community living abroad.
Nowiny Wschodnie had reported on the matter earlier
We had already written about the scandal on a Swiss train in Nowiny Wschodnie. At the time, we presented the Ukrainian family’s account and the circumstances of the conflict, which began after Ukrainian was heard.
The case became a symbol of a problem some Ukrainian refugees in Europe face: aggression and hostility because of their origin or language.
At the time, the most important question remained whether the aggressive passenger would face any consequences.
Today we already know the decision of the Swiss prosecutor’s office.
After the case was publicized, more Ukrainian women came forward
Olena Dudnyk’s story did not end with a single recording.
After it was published, other Ukrainian women began contacting her, claiming that earlier they too had encountered aggressive behavior from the same man.
According to their accounts, similar incidents were said to have occurred in various public places, including on public transport, in shops, gyms, and swimming pools in Zurich, Bern, and Geneva.
Journalists from the Ukrainian service of Radio Svoboda took an interest in the case, including the editorial team of the project “How are you?”, which collected accounts from the victims.
Over time, it emerged that the conflict on the train was not the only incident being examined by Swiss law enforcement authorities.
Who is the aggressive passenger?
The man was identified as Aleksandr Wabiks. According to information published in Ukrainian media, he comes from Latvia but lives in Switzerland.
His behavior attracted the attention not only of Swiss investigators.
On 17 October 2025, Latvia’s State Security Service initiated criminal proceedings against a Latvian citizen suspected of actions aimed at inciting national and ethnic hatred against Ukrainians.
As the Delfi portal reported, the trigger for opening the case was a recording of a conflict with a Ukrainian family on a Swiss train.
This meant that the behavior of a single passenger became the subject of interest to law enforcement authorities in two European countries.
The proceedings in Latvia are, however, separate from the case being conducted in Switzerland, and information about its final outcome has not yet been presented.
Four victims. The prosecutor’s office analyzed further incidents
The Swiss proceedings were not limited solely to Olena Dudnyk’s recording.
The Bern canton prosecutor’s office examined cases of threats and insults involving a total of four Ukrainian citizens.
Ukrainian producer and volunteer Rada Radmilewicz also became involved in the case, helping to publicize the story.
After months of waiting, information emerged about the conclusion of this stage of the proceedings.
Journalists from Radio Svoboda’s “Ty yak?” project reviewed a prosecutor’s office document. It follows that a penal order was issued against Wabiks.
However, the question arose as to how severe the consequences would be for conduct that caused such widespread outrage.
A decision has been made. What does Aleksandr Wabiks face?
The Bern canton prosecutor’s office found Aleksandr Wabiks guilty of repeatedly threatening and insulting four Ukrainians.
Under the issued penal order, the man must pay nearly 4,000 Swiss francs.
But that’s not all.
The prosecutor’s office also imposed a conditional monetary penalty of 12,000 francs, with a two-year probation period. This means that the amount is not automatically payable — its enforcement depends on the conditions provided for under Swiss law.
In total, the ruling therefore includes nearly 4,000 francs to be paid as well as an additional 12,000 francs in a conditional penalty.
Compensation for the injured parties remains a separate issue. Their claims for moral harm were referred to be considered through civil proceedings.
It has not yet been stated whether the penal order has become final and binding.
The case, which began with an ordinary conversation in Ukrainian on a train, has at this stage ended with a formal decision by the prosecutor’s office. The injured parties may still pursue additional compensation.
The question remains whether the penalty imposed is adequate to the man’s conduct, who for many months was the subject of recordings and reports about aggression toward Ukrainians.
Sources: Radio Svoboda – the “How are you?” project, Rada Radmilewicz, Delfi, earlier publications of Nowiny Wschodnie.
Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Nowiny Wschodnie, a news platform followed by more than 140,000 people on social media. A graduate in Journalism and Social Communication, he has been co-creating and developing Nowiny Wschodnie since 2017. He gained professional experience working with local and international media.
He specializes in fact-checking, countering disinformation and propaganda, and information security. His work focuses on Poland, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and Polish-Ukrainian relations. He is also the founder of a non-profit organization working in the fields of integration and intercultural dialogue.
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