Poles who destroy monuments dedicated to Soviet soldiers “resemble Middle Eastern terrorists”, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has told the TASS news agency.

'The Statue of Gratefulness to the Red Army' in Mielec, southern Poland. prior to its removal in November 2015. Photo: wikimedia commons/kroton

Polish foreign ministry spokesman Artur Dmochowski called his Russian counterpart’s words “completely out of place”.

Zakharova’s comments came after the authorities in the southeastern Polish town of Mielec dismantled a monument commemorating Red Army soldiers on 28 November.

The Polish foreign ministry appealed to Russia “to end the hysteria over monuments, which does not allow for a mutual exchange of dialogue nor an understanding.”

Head of Mielec County Zbigniew Tymuła said at a press conference earlier this month that the memorial was dismantled in line with Polish legal procedures.

Dmochowski said Poland condemns all acts of vandalism of Soviet burial spots, referring to military cemeteries on Polish soil.

Soviet memorials remain controversial as the liberation of Nazi-occupied Poland by the Red Army towards the end of World War II led to the installation of a Moscow-backed communist regime in Warsaw that endured until 1989. (ua/pk/nh)