Russian Ambassador to France Visits Soviet Soldiers' Cemetery, Sparks Strong Protests
The Russian Ambassador to France, Alexei Meshkov, on Monday, November 24, visited the island of Île d'Oléron in the Charente-Maritime department of France, causing a strong backlash from the Ukrainian refugee community there. The Russian diplomat was to lay flowers at the Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron cemetery for four Soviet soldiers who had participated in the liberation of Île d'Oléron during World War II.
According to Moscow's account, this visit by the Russian ambassador is described as "a walk within the scope of commemorative work." However, the Charente-Maritime regional government described it as an "official but not ceremonial" visit and confirmed that the Russian embassy had not requested any formal assistance from French authorities. Although the French Charente-Maritime department will not provide ceremonial reception, France must ensure the Russian ambassador's freedom of movement and personal safety in accordance with international conventions. Therefore, security and public order measures will be deployed around the cemetery starting at 6 a.m. on the day of the visit.
This visit by the Russian ambassador was very brief, and he would remain at the site for "no more than 20 minutes." However, the brevity of the trip did not calm the anger of the local Ukrainian community. Two groups, including the "Association for Assistance to Ukraine" and "Liberal Press," have called for protests near the cemetery when the Russian ambassador arrives, but the demonstration location "must be kept at a certain distance from the cemetery."
Olga Bazilienko, co-founder of the association who has lived on the island for 30 years, emphasized that the soldiers commemorated by the Russian ambassador were Soviets, not Russians. She criticized, "The Soviet Union was composed of 15 republics, including Ukraine. Among the soldiers buried here, there was a Belarusian and a Ukrainian," and the ambassador's visit "distorts history," which made her "very angry."
Tide Rossel, also involved in organizing the protest, said that the Russian ambassador coming to Île d'Oléron was an "insult" for the local families who had previously welcomed Syrians and Ukrainians. She accused Russia of being an "imperialist country."
Christophe Serré, mayor of Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, confirmed that he received an "informal and error-ridden" invitation email from the Russian side. He clearly stated that he did not want to be associated with this visit in any way and had approved the application for the protest. The local government emphasized that it would ensure the peaceful conduct of the protest and prevent any accidents.
Source: rfi
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1849678430394516/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.