Russian police seek to separate three children from families over climbing WWII memorial

Police in Syktyvkar, Russia, are seeking to separate three schoolchildren from their families after they climbed a photo installation erected to mark Victory Day. The mothers of two of the children, Anna Savelyeva and Irina Kalibabchuk, disclosed the incident on 29 May on VKontakte.

In Syktyvkar, Russia, police are attempting to separate three schoolchildren from their families after the children climbed a photo installation set up to commemorate Victory Day. The incident occurred on an installation dedicated to the memory of the Second World War, which the children used as a play structure.

The mothers of two of the children—Anna Savelyeva and Irina Kalibabchuk—described what happened on 29 May on their VKontakte social media pages. They say the families now face pressure from authorities, which threatens to raise questions about custody of the children.

The incident has attracted widespread attention in Russia, where Victory Day symbols and those connected to the Second World War are particularly strongly protected. Critics argue that the children's behaviour was typical childhood curiosity and does not warrant such an extreme response as family separation.

This case reflects broader trends in Russia, where adherence to military and national symbols is being monitored with increasing strictness. Human rights organisations have documented numerous instances in which people have been punished for the alleged improper treatment of symbols related to Second World War remembrance.