Russia wants Brno monument to be restored to original condition

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the removal of the symbol of the hammer and sickle from a monument to Red Army soldiers in Brno's Kralovo Pole "vandalism", reacting to actions taken this week by the town's deputy mayor. Brno-Kralovo Pole deputy mayor Rene Pelan had the hammer and sickle symbol removed. He told the CTK news agency he viewed the hammer and sickle as a symbol of totalitarianism, "comparable to the swastika". The Russian foreign ministry - issuing a statement on its website - said it wanted the case to be investigated and the monument to be restored. The monument marks the grave of Russian soldiers who died liberating the city of Brno at the end of World War II.

Author: Jan Velinger