‘A bad joke’: Trio held after police raid admit to photo-bombing Russian WWII honor-roll site with Nazi pics
Three suspects have admitted to uploading photos of Third Reich leaders to a website honoring Soviet veterans of World War II. They admitted it was a lame joke – after getting arrested and facing criminal charges.
The suspects were detained in a series of raids this week in the cities of Perm, Samara, Ulyanovsk and Volgograd – the latter being the scene of WWII's bloodiest engagement, the Battle of Stalingrad.
Faced with the evidence, three of the four suspects confessed to putting photos of the likes of Adolf Hitler, SS chief Heinrich Himmler and Nazi collaborators on the website of Immortal Regiment Online, with two of the men saying it was a joke that “didn’t work out.”
The Investigative Committee has meanwhile equated their actions to “endorsing the crimes of the Nazi regime established by the verdict of the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg” as it opened a criminal case into each. In Russia, this charge may result in a hefty fine or even a prison sentence for a guilty verdict.
The Immortal Regiment march has become a highlight of Victory Day celebrations in the post-Soviet space and for diasporas across the world. But this year’s Covid-19 pandemic prevented people from actually marching with pictures of their parents or grandparents to honor their role in WWII.
Instead, some cities went ahead with flash-mob-like actions, with self-isolating participants showing their placards from their balconies – and a website has been set up to enable everyone to take part.
Also on rt.com For many Russians, Victory Day isn’t about politics or patriotismLike this story? Share it with a friend!
