Unknown perpetrators have vandalized a monument to Soviet marshal Ivan Konev located in the Prague-6 municipal district. The district officials decided to relocate the monument in September of this year, which has been met with protest by Russian representatives.
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 local police have begun the investigation of the incident. The monument is now back to its original state, no material damage has been caused.
Earlier, the district officials allowed holding a rally in front of the monument in support of its removal. Before the rally, members of the public will gather in front of Konev’s monument to express support for preserving the statue of the marshal whose troops liberated Prague from Nazi rule in 1945.
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.
Marshal Konev (1897-1973) led Soviet troops that liberated most of Czechoslovakia’s territory and entered Prague on May 9, 1945.
