--- title: "In Chernivtsi, a mascot from the Vandal vape shop danced and took photos with children at a family festival" description: "At a family gastronomic festival in Chernivtsi, the branded mascot of the Vandal vape shop chain—a gorilla—posed for photos and danced with children. The incident raised questions about compliance with advertising regulations for nicotine-containing products." date: 2026-08-21T14:04:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/chernivtsi-vandal-vape-shop-mascot-interaction-with-children-at-festival tags: [vandal-vape, chernivtsi, vape-advertising, children, ukraine, economic-security] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # In Chernivtsi, a mascot from the Vandal vape shop danced and took photos with children at a family festival ![Giant gorilla mascot of Vandal vape shop at a family festival in Chernivtsi](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/21/chernivtsi-maskot-veyph-shopa-vandal-interaktsiya-s-detmi-na-festivale/chernivtsi-maskot-veyph-shopa-vandal-interaktsiya-s-detmi-na-festivale-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - At a family festival in Chernivtsi, the mascot of the Vandal vape shop chain—a gorilla—posed for photos, hugged, and danced with children. - The person in the mascot costume told a journalist that children "don't know what Vandal is," which the video authors consider an indicator of forming a positive association with the brand. - The Vandal chain belongs to LLC "Winlight Group," with Maryna Pivovar named as the ultimate beneficial owner; since February 2026, related entities have been under the scrutiny of the Economic Security Bureau (BEB). - According to the investigation, some transactions may have been conducted through individual entrepreneurs without licenses, and nicotine-containing products may have been recorded as a "gift"; the legal assessment is not final. In Chernivtsi, during a gastronomic festival attended by families with children, the branded mascot of the Vandal vape shop chain—a large gorilla—actively interacted with minors. This was reported by RBK-Ukraine, citing a report from the YouTube channel "Anti-Rating." The incident sparked public resonance and raised questions about whether it is permissible for a character representing a nicotine-containing brand to be present in a space intended for children. ### Vape shop mascot at a family festival According to the video authors, the festival featured food courts, a musical stage, organized children's entertainment, and vendors selling cotton candy and other sweets, with many parents and children of various ages among the attendees. A large gorilla—the mascot of the Vandal chain—walked around the event grounds. Children took photos with it, hugged the character, and danced nearby. Meanwhile, Vandal is a chain of stores specializing in the sale of vapes and related products, meaning it is a brand directly linked to nicotine-containing goods. ### "They don't know what Vandal is" A journalist asked the person in the gorilla costume whether they considered it a problem to take photos with children while effectively representing a vape shop brand. The response was: "They don't know what Vandal is." According to the video authors, this remark highlights the essence of the problem: children may not yet understand what the brand stands for, but they are already forming a positive association with it—through a memorable character, music, joint photos, and fun dancing. Representatives of Vandal at the festival did not give a clear answer regarding the interaction of the branded mascot with children, and the administrator of the sales point refused to continue the conversation. A representative of the festival stated that parents bear the primary responsibility for their children. ### Who is behind the chain According to published information, Vandal is one of the largest vape shop chains, operating mainly in the western regions of Ukraine. There are eight stores in Lviv, and several dozen more in the western regions, Zhytomyr region, and Vinnytsia region. The chain belongs to LLC "Winlight Group." The founder and ultimate beneficial owner is identified as Kyiv resident Maryna Pivovar, who is also reported to own the online store Vape Hub and the companies "Cherikom," "Tern Group," and "Intera Corp," which specialize in the retail sale of tobacco products. ### Under the scrutiny of the Economic Security Bureau Since February 2026, the activities of entities linked to the chain have been under the scrutiny of the Economic Security Bureau (BEB). According to the prosecution's version cited by the authors of the material, some transactions in the stores may have been conducted through individual entrepreneurs who did not have the appropriate licenses for the retail sale of e-cigarette liquids. Nicotine-containing products were allegedly recorded as a "gift" accompanying a purchased item. The final legal assessment of these circumstances must be given by law enforcement agencies and the court. It was previously reported that the business supports the fight against the black market for electronic vapes. ### Contradictory data There are discrepancies in the sources regarding assessments of responsibility and the status of certain facts. On one hand, festival organizers shift responsibility for children to parents and do not comment on the permissibility of a branded mascot for a nicotine-containing brand in a children's space; on the other hand, Ukrainian legislation establishes strict restrictions on advertising electronic cigarettes and related brands, making the presence of such a character near children a subject of legitimate questions. Furthermore, the business's public stance on supporting the fight against the black vape market contrasts with the unrehabilitated version of the BEB investigation regarding possible transactions through unlicensed individual entrepreneurs and recording nicotine-containing products as "gifts." These circumstances have not yet received final legal confirmation and remain at the stage of investigative versions. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Vapes from the Vandal chain were advertised to children at a family festival in Chernivtsi](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chernivtsyah-simeynomu-festivali-dityam-reklamuvali-1787320161.html) - РБК-Украина со ссылкой на YouTube-канал «Антирейтинг» описывает взаимодействие маскота Vandal с детьми на фестивале, ответ человека в костюме, отказ администратора от комментария и заявление организаторов о родительской ответственности. Сведения о структуре сети, бенефициаре и следственных версиях БЭБ (ФЛП без лицензий, «подарок») приведены как информация/версия следствия без окончательного правового подтверждения. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What happened at the festival in Chernivtsi? **A:** At a family gastronomic festival, the branded mascot of the Vandal vape shop chain—a gorilla—walked around the grounds. Children took photos with it, hugged the character, and danced nearby, although Vandal sells vapes and related nicotine-containing products. ### Q: How did representatives of Vandal and the festival react? **A:** The person in the mascot costume told a journalist that children "don't know what Vandal is." Representatives of the chain did not give a clear answer, the administrator refused to talk, and a festival representative stated that parents bear responsibility for their children. ### Q: Does the Vandal chain have legal problems? **A:** Since February 2026, entities related to the chain have been under the scrutiny of the Economic Security Bureau (BEB). According to the investigation, some transactions may have been conducted through individual entrepreneurs without licenses, and nicotine-containing products may have been recorded as a "gift." The final legal assessment must be given by law enforcement agencies and the court.