On Tuesday, 23 August, Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation launched a criminal case in relation to the demolition of the Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders in Latvia.
The criminal case is based on Section 243.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (destruction or damaging of monuments dedicated to memory of those killed in the defence of the fatherland or its interests, or dedicated to the memory of the military glory of Russia).
The announcement published on the website of the Investigative Committee mentions that the demolition of the monument in question is
«aimed against the interests of Russia in preserving the historical memory of the activities of the USSR during the Second World War and the decisive role in the victory over fascism».
Chairman of the Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrikin has ordered investigators to «provide an evaluation of actions of the persons responsible for the decision to demolish the monument so they can be brought to justice,» the announcement mentions.
As previously reported, the topic of the presence of Soviet monuments, plaques and memorials in Latvia became particularly hot after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Discussions about this and related topics concluded with the Saeima making the decision to remove all Soviet monuments not attached to burial sites of Soviet troops in Latvia.
This included the removal of the Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders in Latvia in Riga, which began this week.
Also read: PHOTO, VIDEO | Latvian police detain 14 people near monument’s demolition site in Pārdaugava