Soviet war cemetery in Leusden vandalised again

The Soviet Field of Honour in Leusden has been vandalised again, with red and black paint daubed on its obelisk and memorial wall. Police were investigating at the site on Saturday evening after receiving a report that afternoon.

Images shared on the cemetery’s social media showed slogans including “Fuck Refugees”, “Not against Russians but against commies” and “Dutch government = commies”. The cemetery is the final resting place of 865 Soviet Union war victims from the Second World War.

Remco Reiding, director of the Soviet Field of Honour Foundation, called the vandalism “tragic and sad”. He said the attack affected the foundation deeply, not only because of the damage but because it showed a lack of respect for the war dead and their relatives.

The cemetery was also defaced in July, when nearly 150 gravestones, the obelisk and the memorial wall were marked with red paint. The slogans then included “Fuck Putin” and “Fuck Zelensky”.