An Independence Day celebration, attended by former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga and a group of Ukrainian tourists, have drawn hilarious reactions on social media.

The event took place at the Taj Bentota Hotel and Weeratunga was seen wearing a 'saatakaya' (shawl) resembling the official dress code of the Rajapaksa family. Weeratunga, the person who coordinated the 'pilot project' to facilitate Uktrainian tourists, is a close relative of the Rajapaksa family. Many Sri Lankan social media users had ridiculed Weeratunga, who was under multiple anti-corruption investigations in the past, for attempting to emulate the dress code of the first family.

Some tourists were seen observing the proceedings wearing swimwear, drawing strong negative reactions on social media.

Weeratunga's tourism project has come under severe criticism from many circles due to the poor management of the crisis in the Eastern European country.

Ukraine also imposed a countrywide lockdown to control the spread of the virus, but the tourism project initiated by Weeratunga continued nevertheless.