MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. Chairman of the Russian Federation Council (the upper house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev has accused the unknown perpetrators who vandalized the monument to Soviet marshal Ivan Konev in Prague of whitewashing Nazism.
"Vandalizing monuments to those who defeated Nazism means only one thing: whitewashing Nazism, accidentally or more likely on purpose," Kosachev told TASS on Saturday, adding that he considers such actions unacceptable.
"The annual resolution of the UN General Assembly that condemns glorification of Nazism are especially important in this context, along with the Federation Council’s initiative on recognizing the victory over Nazism on the outcomes of World War II the world heritage of humanity and considering the corresponding monuments a world memorial to those deeds," the senator added.
Earlier, unknown perpetrators vandalized a monument to Soviet marshal Ivan Konev located in the Prague-6 municipal district. The vandals slung a chain of sausages with memorial ribbons attached to them over the marshal’s arm. The ribbons were taken off the wreaths placed in front of the monument on December 16 in honor of the Konev’s 122nd birthday. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Russian Embassy in the Czech Republic, the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, local public organizations and civil activists, as well as the marshal’s granddaughter Yelena Koneva.
The council of the Prague-6 municipal district voted in mid-September to relocate the monument to Konev and to build a Prague Liberation Memorial instead. The municipality is still deciding on a site where the monument to Marshal Konev may be relocated to. The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed indignation over the decision to relocate the monument and warned that such a step would not remain without retaliation.
The monument was unveiled in Prague in 1980 on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the city’s liberation by the Red Army’s forces under Marshal Konev’s command. The monument is the property of the municipal authorities.
The district’s head Ondrej Kolar said in late August that Konev’s monument falls victim to vandals at least two times a year, which, according to him, points to the local residents’ negative view of the Soviet military commander.