Poland dismantles Soviet monument in Pyrzyce, Russia files protest

On 31 July 2026 the monument honoring Soviet soldiers killed between 1941‑1945 in the town of Pyrzyce, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, was removed. The Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) described the structure as a "Soviet propaganda object" and said the demolition implements Poland’s 2016 law banning the promotion of communist symbols.

The Russian Embassy in Poland condemned the action as "illegal" and "sacrilegious," claiming it violates the 1994 bilateral agreement on graves and memory sites. The embassy submitted an official protest to Polish authorities, accusing Poland of attempting to erase the memory of Soviet soldiers. Polish local officials announced that a new monument commemorating the restoration of independence will replace the former memorial.