Ukrainian authorities have opened a criminal case after three young men were seen performing Nazi salutes at the Holocaust memorial in Drobytsky Yar, near Kharkiv, Ukrainian media reported on Wednesday.
The incident, which took place at the site of a mass execution of Jews during the Holocaust, is being investigated by law enforcement in the Kharkiv region. According to the Main Department of the National Police, a pre-trial investigation has been launched into the desecration.
The case has been registered under Part 1 of Article 436-1 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, which prohibits the production, distribution, and promotion of Nazi and communist symbols, as well as propaganda of totalitarian regimes. The article carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, with or without confiscation of property.
Authorities are currently working to identify the individuals involved and hold them accountable.
Memorial desecrated
The United Jewish Community of Ukraine also reported on the incident, stating that three young men had desecrated the Drobytsky Yar memorial with a Nazi gesture.
Drobytsky Yar is a major Holocaust memorial site where more than 16,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis in December 1941. The site stands as a symbol of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust in eastern Ukraine.
The investigation is ongoing.