Putin Thanks Israel for Opposing Poland's Move to Demolish Soviet Monuments

The Russian president thanked Israel for giving a correct assessment of the World War II events and condemning Poland’s decision to demolish Soviet monuments.

YOSHKAR OLA (Sputnik) – Russia is grateful to Israel for giving a correct assessment of the World War II events and condemning Poland’s decision to demolish Soviet monuments, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

“We are grateful to those in Israel who give a correct assessment to these events, who condemn the demolition of monuments dedicated to Soviet soldiers,” Putin said at a meeting of the Presidential Council for interethnic relations.

On Monday, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a law regulating the demolition of monuments and renaming of objects associated with the Communist legacy and propaganda, or any other "totalitarian regime."

On Wednesday, Russia's State Duma (lower house of parliament) adopted an appeal to European lawmakers in connection with Poland's decision, urging them to resist the destruction of monuments and memorial to the soldiers who liberated Europe from Nazism. The Parliament of Israel adopted a similar appeal.

Israeli lawmakers said that the condemnation of the desecration of memorials to the victims of the Holocaust and the heroes of the Second World War — the soldiers of the Red Army, who liberated Europe from fascism — should be voiced clearly by every country. According to Knesset, in order to cope with these trends, it is necessary to mobilize efforts both at the local and international levels.