Yakutsk replaces Polish exile memorial with monument to fallen soldiers

In Yakutsk, Russia, a new monument has been unveiled at the site where a memorial dedicated to Polish and Lithuanian exiles was previously removed. The new sculpture commemorates Dmitry Yegorov and Nikolai Romanov, two ethnic Yakut volunteers who died fighting in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on September 9, 2023.

The previous memorial, which had been in place since 2002, consisted of stones and plaques honoring Polish scientists and individuals repressed during the 17th to 19th centuries and the mass repressions of the 1940s. These included figures such as Wacław Sieroszewski, Edward Piekarski, Jan Czerski, and Aleksander Czekanowski. In 2023, Russian authorities claimed the original monument had been stolen by unknown perpetrators, though it was later confirmed to have been dismantled by local authorities.

The new monument features the two soldiers, who have become symbols of the current regime in Yakutia. Following their deaths, Yegorov was posthumously awarded the title ‘Hero of Russia’ by Vladimir Putin. Plans are reportedly underway to produce a book and a feature film based on their stories.