Palianytsia Podcast

Stories from Ukraine

Palianytsia is a type of hearth-baked bread made mainly from wheat flour, with a semicircular cut on the upper third. It is a popular bread in Ukraine. Palianytsia, however, is also a word used by Ukrainians as a test, to identify those who do not have a good grasp of their language.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, some Russians tried to pose as Ukrainians when they were captured. The test, however, gave them away. Palianytsia has thus become one of the most used words to identify Russian soldiers, spies or saboteurs.

Source: Wikipedia