Lviv memorial complex being "cleansed" of Soviet soldiers' burials

Illustrative photo: city-adm.lviv

In Lviv, on April 23, 2025, the exhumation and relocation of the remains of Soviet soldiers, including the famous intelligence officer and anti-Nazi fighter Nikolai Kuznetsov, from the Memorial Complex "Hill of Glory" began. This decision was made the day before by the executive committee of the Lviv City Council, the press service of the agency reports.

The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine previously granted permission for the relocation of the complex, as these Soviet burials have the status of a historical monument.

The remains of the soldiers will be relocated to the Holoskivsky cemetery in Lviv.

“The issue of carrying out this work has been raised for a long time, and the war has accelerated these processes. We have already completed the exhumation processes and all dismantling work from the former Mars Field, and now this is the place of glory for our Heroes. Now we face the task of clearing another site of Soviet symbolism and burials that are there,” said the executive secretary of the Lviv City Council, Yevgen Boyko.

It is reported that during the exhumation, security measures will be strengthened to “avoid possible provocations from the aggressor country, Russia.” In particular, lighting will be installed at the exhumation site, and surveillance cameras will be set up. The site will also be guarded by the LKP "Municipal Guard".

Earlier, three Soviet monuments were dismantled at the "Hill of Glory" and relocated to the Museum of Totalitarian Regimes.

Before this, the remains of 1,753 Soviet soldiers, as well as post-war burials that were at the former Mars Field, were relocated to the Holoskivsky cemetery. Another 27 remains of World War I soldiers were reburied in plot No. 84 of the Lychakiv Cemetery.

As reported by teh UOJ, Lviv police detained a person who extinguished a Hanukkah menorah.

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