In Britain, one Ukrainian says he ended up with the strangest fine he has ever had to pay
It's surprisingly easy to land in this kind of trouble.
Radio Track: News
TikTok user kraievskyi97, a Ukrainian living in London, says he was hit with a £120 fine (roughly 7,200 hryvnias) after spitting on the ground in an alleyway on his way home from work. The violation was caught on a body camera worn by an enforcement officer in a hi-vis vest, who stopped him and asked to see his ID. Once the bodycam footage confirmed what happened, the Ukrainian was handed a penalty.
In the comments under his video, other Ukrainians started sharing their own stories of similar fines:
- Taras said he had to pay £200 after spilling juice in a parking lot.
- Commenter ALLA mentioned that her brother-in-law was fined £185 for spitting.
- Alesia Marchuk said she paid £100 twice for discarded cigarette butts and also got one fine for spitting.
- eLeN shared that in her area the fine for spitting is £60, with a 50% discount available if you pay within the first week.
- Iren Roza reported paying £250 for a cigarette butt last Friday.
These stories show how strict Britain's street-cleaning regulations can be: even minor actions can trigger a fine. In the UK, local authorities take public cleanliness very seriously and issue penalties for things many people may not think twice about.
For tourists and newcomers, these cases underline just how serious the country is about keeping public spaces clean. Fines for minor littering and hygiene offences are meant to keep cities neat, even if they sometimes seem harsh. Knowing the local rules before you go out can save you both hassle and money.