Russia condemns attack on its envoys in Poland, says 'Neo-Nazis showing their face'

After the Russian Ambassador to Poland, Sergei Andreyev was splashed with red paint on the occasion of Victory Day on Monday, the spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova condemned the incident, stating that Russian Ambassador, Sergei Andreyev and Russian diplomats accompanying him were attacked in Warsaw while laying a wreath at a Soviet soldier's cemetery. She further stated that neo-Nazi supporters have shown their faces once more, and it is bloody.

Zakharova went on to say that the disrespect of graves, the destruction of monuments to World War II heroes and now the interruption of a flower-laying ceremony on a day that is sacrosanct to every decent human being reveals the obvious once more, that is the West has prepared the stage for the resurrection of Nazism. She reaffirmed her previous statement by saying that they cannot scare Russia. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman also said that Europeans should be terrified when they see themselves in the mirror.

The incident was also criticised by Poland’s Foreign Minister

The incident was also criticised by Poland’s Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, who stated that the incident was very disgusting and that diplomats should be afforded particular security, regardless of the policies adopted by the nations they represent, according to media reports. The Polish government was chastised for not providing stronger security for the ambassador, allowing an event to occur that could be used by Russia to portray Poland as hostile to Moscow, which Kremlin has already said. Last week, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Poland’s action towards Russia is "openly hostile."  As a result of the conflict, which began on February 24, more than 3.2 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to Poland.

While attacking the Ambassador with red paint, the demonstrations prevented the ambassador and others from laying flowers at the cemetery and chanted "Nazi" and "murderer" at him and waved Ukrainian flags. As police arrived on the scene, the ambassador and others in his group were able to depart. When asked by TVN24 about the ambassador being attacked, one demonstrator said it was good that he was attacked by red paint. The envoy had planned to lead a Victory Day march in Warsaw, but national and local authorities objected, and his appearance at the cemetery was seen as provocative by some.

Image: AP