Russia has demanded an official apology from Poland after "blasphemous" authorities in the town of Limanowa demolished a Soviet war memorial without its permission.
Photos published Sunday on municipal websit?µ Limanowa.in showed a demolition truck advancing on the monument to Soviet soldiers who liberated the Polish town from Nazi forces during the Second World War.
A statement published Tuesday on the Russian Foreign Ministry website condemned the actions of the local authorities — which come as Russia celebrates 70 years since its victory over the Nazis — as "blasphemous," saying the monument's removal violated an inter-governmental agreement on burial sites and commemoration places for the victims of wars and repressions.
"Our Polish partners need to be reminded that lying in rest on their land are more than 600,000 Soviet soldiers who gave their lives for the liberation of Poland from the Nazi invaders," the ministry said in the statement.
The memorial is the latest in a line of Soviet monuments to have been moved, destroyed or vandalized on the territory of a former republic or satellite state.
Since the ousting of pro-Moscow Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February and Russia's subsequent annexation of Crimea a month later, a number of statues of the Soviet revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin have been torn down across Ukraine.
On Tuesday, masked men in the Ukrainian village of Belozerka demolished a monument to Lenin, destroying the statue's head with hammers, Lenta.ru reported, citing local news bureau Tipichny Kharson.
See also:
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.
Remind me later.