In the third episode of the fifteenth season of the Ukrainian reality show 'The Bachelor', released on October 30, 2026, an open conflict erupted between contestants Khrystyna Horniak and Daria Zainchukovska, which later escalated into a public showdown on social media. According to the Styler publication (a project by RBC-Ukraine), the altercation began when Daria questioned the sincerity of Khrystyna's intentions after she received a rose from bachelor Oleksiav Kravtsov. Zainchukovska expressed her opinion regarding her rival's motives for joining the show and noted that she wished Kravtsov could better understand who Horniak really is. The dispute then shifted to discussing the behavior of another contestant, Anna Mishak, whom Daria publicly defended, entering into a direct argument with Khrystyna.
The Confrontation Moves to Social Media
Off the reality show cameras, the conflict did not subside, acquiring new dynamics instead. Even before the third episode aired, Daria Zainchukovska published a post on Threads stating: 'Tomorrow I'll become Kateryna Ostapchuk's best friend' — referring to Kateryna Ostapchuk, the current wife of Khrystyna Horniak's ex-husband. In the same publication, Daria expressed sympathy for Volodymyr Ostapchuk and, in a follow-up thread, tagged Kateryna's account. In the comments, Zainchukovska also returned to the topic of the Ostapchuk family and voiced grievances concerning Horniak's personal life.
Accusations of Pro-Russian Views and 2025 Screenshots
In response, Khrystyna Horniak accused Daria of pro-Russian views on Threads. According to the notary, had she known about these remarks during filming, she would have interacted with her rival differently. Horniak cited as evidence Zainchukovska's complaints about the difficulty of purchasing Russian-language books and, in her assessment, insulting comments directed at the residents of Ivano-Frankivsk. 'I'll say one thing — people like you shouldn't be in the information space. And I really hope that's how it will be,' Khrystyna wrote. She attached screenshots of comments associated with Zainchukovska to her post: the images show the accounts electro_diva_ and electro_diva_ua, with entries dated to 2025. Among them is a comment from February 16 about searching for a Russian-language book, an entry from July 26 claiming that Kyiv residents 'never spoke Ukrainian', a reply from April 26 advising not to travel to the capital, and a comment from August 20 containing, in Horniak's estimation, insults directed at the 'Silpo' supermarket chain.
Polygraph vs. Law Enforcement
Daria Zainchukovska invited Khrystyna to undergo a joint polygraph test, referencing the circumstances of their dispute on the show. 'I invite Khrystyna Horniak to a POLYGRAPH. You've spread enough of that nonsense into the information space,' she wrote. Zainchukovska offered to answer questions on video during a live broadcast regarding the word 'mutt' and threats, while stating that she had never addressed people with such an insult. According to her version, she wanted to talk to Khrystyna privately, but the latter proposed to start a fight. Khrystyna Horniak published a screenshot of the polygraph invitation and replied that Daria's statements should, in her opinion, be of interest to law enforcement: 'The only polygraph you need to visit is at law enforcement agencies.' Horniak urged Zainchukovska to stop mentioning her name and stated that in response to interference in her personal life, she is ready to reveal more about Daria herself.
Context: What Is Known About the Contestants
Khrystyna Horniak is a notary who has previously participated in the public sphere. Previous Styler articles discussed the reasons why she agreed to participate in 'The Bachelor' and her parents' reaction to this decision. Daria Zainchukovska is also a contestant in the fifteenth season. The bachelor for the current season is Oleksii Kravtsov. The conflict between the two contestants has become one of the most resonant episodes of the third installment and continues to be discussed in Ukrainian media and social networks at the time of publication.
