Young Ukrainians do Nazi salute at Holocaust memorial
(MENAFN) Ukrainian authorities have launched a criminal investigation after three young individuals were photographed performing Nazi salutes at a Holocaust memorial in Kharkov, sparking widespread outrage. The incident occurred at the Drobitsky Yar memorial, a site where between 16,000 and 20,000 Jews were executed during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
Photos of the youths, with two clearly seen making the offensive gesture on the memorial’s steps, circulated widely on Telegram over the weekend. In response, Kharkov Mayor Igor Terekhov condemned the act as a deliberate insult to the memory of Holocaust victims and to the city itself. He described the memorial as a symbol of immense suffering and called for swift and public punishment of those responsible.
Terekhov emphasized that this was not a youthful prank or mistake but a calculated act of disrespect. He urged law enforcement to identify the individuals quickly and ensure they are held accountable.
The United Jewish Community of Ukraine also denounced the incident and filed a formal complaint with authorities. Kharkov police confirmed a pre-trial investigation is underway, and the suspects, once identified, could face up to five years in prison under Ukrainian law.
Drobitsky Yar is one of many Holocaust massacre sites across Ukraine, where Nazi forces and their local collaborators killed an estimated 1.5 million Jews during World War II.
The incident comes amid ongoing accusations from Russia that Ukraine tolerates or even promotes neo-Nazi ideology. Since the outbreak of full-scale war in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited “denazification” as one of the key goals of Russia’s military campaign, along with demilitarization and Ukrainian neutrality.
Russian officials frequently point to Ukraine’s glorification of controversial WWII-era figures like Stepan Bandera, a nationalist who collaborated with Nazi Germany. Bandera has been honored as a national hero in Ukraine since 2010, with annual nationalist marches held in his memory.
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