Current:Home > MarketsA battle of wreaths erupts in the Arctic when Russian envoy puts his garland over Norway’s wreath-InfoLens
A battle of wreaths erupts in the Arctic when Russian envoy puts his garland over Norway’s wreath
View Date:2025-01-12 02:30:45
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A battle of wreaths erupted Wednesday when a Russian diplomat in the Arctic town of Kirkenes in northern Norway reportedly put his garland on top of Norway’s at a monument for the 1944 liberation of the region by Soviet troops.
Magnus Mæland, the municipality mayor, then angrily removed the Russian wreath — only to have a woman, described by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK as being Russian, put it back.
”You don’t behave like that here,” Mæland told NRK. “One should be able to lay flowers at a monument, but not over the municipality’s official wreath.”
Several local people in the border town only 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the Russian border, had called on Russian officials to stay away from the ceremony.
In an op-ed published last week, local historians Marit Bjerkeng and Harald Sunde wrote that “official representatives of Russia should not hold any commemoration or appear at memorials on Norwegian soil,” saying it will be seen “as an insult to Norway, to Ukraine and to victims of war in all countries.”
The ceremony commemorates the Oct. 25, 1944 liberation in World War II of Kirkenes by the Soviet army, which had entered neighboring Norway, then occupied by Nazi Germany.
Since then, the date is marked annually. In 2019, on the 75th anniversary, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov laid wreaths at the monument and stood side-by-side with Norway’s foreign minister.
There was no immediate comment from Nikolai Konygin, who heads Russia’s Consulate in Kirkenes, which has three diplomats.
Tensions run high between Norway and Russia, which share a nearly 200-kilometer- (124 mile-) long border. Kirkenes is the largest town in the region.
On Saturday, Konygin gave a speech at the war memorial in the same Norwegian border town.
Visiting locals from the Russian border town of Nikel faced the diplomat while residents from Kirkenes silently turned their back to him, according to the online outlet the Barents Observer.
Locals had already placed a wreath at the monument before Konygin arrived, with the text “to our Ukrainian heroes from 1944 and 2022,” according to the Barents Observer.
Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union during World War II.
veryGood! (8747)
Related
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor to step down at end of academic year
- Jerry Jones turns up heat on Mike McCarthy, sending pointed message to Cowboys coach
- See Conjoined Twins Brittany and Abby Hensel's First Dance at Wedding to Josh Bowling
- Arkansas, local officials mark anniversary of tornadoes that killed four and destroyed homes
- 'Wheel of Fortune' contestant makes viral mistake: 'Treat yourself a round of sausage'
- What is Holy Saturday? What the day before Easter means for Christians around the world
- Jets land star pass rusher Haason Reddick in trade with Eagles, marking latest splashy move
- Judge questions Border Patrol stand that it’s not required to care for children at migrant camps
- Chris Evans Shares Thoughts on Starting a Family With Wife Alba Baptista
- Maine governor proposes budget revisions to fund housing and child care before April adjournment
Ranking
- Chrysler recalls over 200k Jeep, Dodge vehicles over antilock-brake system: See affected models
- NFL offseason workout dates: Schedule for OTAs, minicamps of all 32 teams in 2024
- Tracy Morgan clarifies his comments on Ozempic weight gain, says he takes it 'every Thursday'
- Funeral held for slain New York City police Officer Jonathan Diller
- RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives Birth, Shares First Photos of Baby Boy
- Key takeaways about the condition of US bridges and their role in the economy
- 'Princess Peach: Showtime!': Stylish, fun Nintendo game lets Peach sparkle in spotlight
- RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Confronted With NSFW Rumor About Her Husband in Explosive Preview
Recommendation
-
What that 'Disclaimer' twist says about the misogyny in all of us
-
New image reveals Milky Way's black hole is surrounded by powerful twisted magnetic fields, astronomers say
-
Poison reports for dogs surge 200% at Easter: What to know to keep dogs, other pets safe
-
US-funded Radio Free Asia closes its Hong Kong bureau over safety concerns under new security law
-
World War II veteran reflects on life as he turns 100
-
LSU star and Baltimore native Angel Reese on bridge collapse: 'I'm praying for Baltimore'
-
Forever Chemicals From a Forever Fire: Alabama Residents Aim to Test Blood or Urine for PFAS Amid Underground Moody Landfill Fire
-
Ayesha Curry Weighs in on Husband Steph Curry Getting a Vasectomy After Baby No. 4