Two children who wanted to pry the red stars off some Soviet graves were probably behind the vandalism of a cemetery in Poland, police said Friday.
The 57 graves were discovered vandalized last week at a cemetery in Milejczyce in northeast Poland, further straining relations between Moscow and Warsaw, already fragile because of the Ukraine crisis. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Polish envoy to protest.
"It turned out that a 10-year-old [boy] and an 9-year-old girl are most likely linked to the graves' damaging. In a conversation with a prosecutor, in a psychologist's presence, both admitted guilt," local police said in a statement.
The children wanted to take some of the red stone Soviet stars from the graves, police said. The case will now be taken over by a family court.
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.
