The vandalism happened in the western Belarusian village of Mikulishki, Poland’s PAP news agency reported, citing a Polish website in Belarus.
The graves of Polish World War II Home Army (AK) soldiers were “razed to the ground,” and none of the 22 crosses remained, according to glosznadniemna.pl.
The AK was Poland’s famous resistance movement during World War II.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Poland’s foreign ministry expressed outrage at the destruction of the cemetery.
‘Unprecedented act of bestiality’
“It’s an inexplicable, unprecedented act of bestiality and an incomprehensible violation of Poland’s and Belarus’ mutual obligations as regards the protection of memorial sites,” the foreign ministry said.
It added: “We call on the authorities in Minsk to put a stop to such practices, which bring to mind the darkest chapters in the history of the communist regime.”
The statement went on to say: “The destruction of the cemetery is an act without precedent, directed not only against Belarus’ remembrance of its own history, but also against the Polish community in Belarus.”
The destruction of the Mikulishki memorial is Minsk’s latest act of vandalism against the graves of Polish soldiers in Belarus, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP, glosznadniemna.pl