Support The Moscow Times!

Crimean Tatar Memorial Vandalized With Yellow Paint

Vandals in Crimea have smeared with yellow paint a memorial sign honoring Crimean Tatars deported from the region by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, news reports said.

Residents of Crimea's village of Koreiz found the memorial sign vandalized on Wednesday morning, and utility workers arrived to clean off the paint, Krym.Realii news agency reported Wednesday.

The police were called and security officials have recorded the incident, but it is not known whether a criminal investigation will be launched, Krym.Realii reported.

Before the attack, the sign showed an image of a family looking out from behind a barbed wire, and a line that read: "On May 18, 1944, from the yard of the Koreiz village council, Crimean Tatars of Koreiz and Miskhor were subjected to criminal repressions and sent into an indefinite exile into Central Asia, the Urals and Zavolzhye," according to photographs published by Crimea's Argumenty Nedeli news portal.

Crimean Tatars have opposed Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine last year, expressing fears of a return of the persecution they faced during the Soviet era.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more