The Indian singer could be seen apologising to the Pakistani actor for not recognising her at first instance
entertainment1 hour ago
Russian authorities have removed a Polish flag from a memorial commemorating the thousands of Poles killed by the Soviet Union, amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Warsaw over the Ukraine conflict.
Historians and visitors to the Katyn memorial in western Russia’s Smolensk region noted the flag’s disappearance on social media on Friday.
The mayor of Smolensk city confirmed the removal on Friday evening, publishing a photo showing the Russian flag flying alone at the memorial’s entrance.
“There cannot be Polish flags on Russian monuments. Even less so after the frankly anti-Russian comments by Polish political leaders,” Andrei Borisov said on social media platform VKontakte.
“The culture ministry of the Russian Federation made the right decision by removing the Polish flag. Katyn is a Russian memorial.”
The decision to take down the flag comes as tensions between Russia and Poland have spiked since Moscow launched its military operation in neighbouring Ukraine in February.
Poland, a member of NATO and the European Union, has vocally supported Ukraine diplomatically and by supplying it with weapons.
The country has also hosted by far the largest number of Ukrainian refugees within the bloc — more than 1.1 million, according to the latest UN figures.
The Katyn memorial was erected in memory of the 25,000 Poles, mostly army officers deemed anti-communist, massacred by the Soviet Union’s political police in a forest near Smolensk in 1940 on the orders of Joseph Stalin.
ALSO READ:
The Soviet Union had long denied responsibility for the killings, accusing the Nazis of the crime, before admitting the truth in 1990.
The episode poisoned relations between Russia and Poland.
In 2010, a Smolensk-bound plane carrying the Polish president crashed, killing its 96 passengers. The investigation into the incident became another source of tension after the countries tried to improve their ties.
The Indian singer could be seen apologising to the Pakistani actor for not recognising her at first instance
entertainment1 hour ago
The singer performed for over 54,000 fans
entertainment1 hour ago
The actor known for his romance flicks in Bollywood has been on a hiatus for 9 years
entertainment1 hour ago
Here are some thrilling ways to escape the summer heat and enjoy the indoors to the fullest
entertainment1 hour ago
After a bout of torrential rain, Dubai has bounced back like no other city, with automotive events being organised in full swing and big announcements being made
auto1 hour ago
Sounds of prayer 'hallelujah…praise the lord' filled the air as part of a religious ceremony marking the soft opening of the facility
uae1 hour ago
Afghanistan rulers are absent at the UN Human Rights Council meeting as Taliban are not recognised by the global body
asia1 hour ago
A recognition reaffirms Alaan's status as a leader in the corporate card and expense management sector in the Middle East
kt network1 hour ago