Czech city removes Soviet-era Red Army monument

Authorities in the Czech city of Litoměřice have dismantled a monument to the Soviet Army that had been a fixture in the town for half a century, Czech media reported.
The demolition, approved by the city council, has highlighted ongoing divisions over the country's communist-era past. Supporters of the monument's removal argued it was a symbol of Soviet occupation rather than liberation, noting it was erected in 1975, seven years after the Warsaw Pact invasion crushed the Prague Spring reforms.
Conversely, other residents opposed the move, viewing it as an attempt to erase history.
The monument had become a focal point for protest, particularly following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In 2022, it was vandalized to make the pedestal resemble a washing machine, a pointed reference to allegations of looting by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
The fate of Soviet-era monuments remains a contentious issue across Central and Eastern Europe.