Russian envoy to Poland hit with red paint at war cemetery

WARSAW, Poland  — Russia’s ambassador to Poland was splattered with red paint thrown at him by protesters opposed to the war in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the attack, saying on her messaging app channel that “we won’t be scared” while the “people of Europe should be scared to see their reflection in a mirror.”

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau described the incident as “highly deplorable.”

“Diplomats enjoy special protection, regardless of the policies pursued by the governments that they represent,” he said.

Ambassador Sergey Andreev arrived at the Soviet soldiers’ cemetery to lay flowers on Victory Day, which marks the defeat of Nazi Germany by the Allies. The major Russian patriotic holiday was celebrated with pomp in a parade at Red Square in Moscow.

As he arrived at the Soviet Military Cemetery in the Polish capital, Andreev was met by hundreds of activists opposed to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The protesters first snatched away a wreath of flowers that he had intended to lay at the cemetery and trampled it. Red paint was thrown from behind at him before a protester standing beside him threw a big blob of it in his face.

The protesters carried Ukrainian flags and chanted “fascists” and “murderers” at him, in Russian, while some were dressed in white sheets smeared with red, symbolizing the Ukrainian victims of Russia’s war. Other people in his entourage were also seen splattered with what appeared to be red paint.