Russia was not invited to the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz

Russia will not be represented at the ’78 celebrations^e The anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi death camp, the site museum announced on Wednesday, January 25.

“Representatives of the Russian Federation have not been invited to participate in the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz this year in view of the aggression against free and independent Ukraine”, It will take place this Friday, museum spokesman Piotr Sawicki explained to Agence France-Presse.

The death camp was liberated by the Red Cross on January 27, 1945. So far, Russia has always participated in the festivities held annually on January 27, with its representative speaking at the main ceremony.

Invasion of Ukraine, an “act of barbarism”

According to the museum’s director Piotr Szyvinski, it was clear he couldn’t “Sign any letter to the Russian ambassador in the tone of an invitation”In the context of conflict.

“I hope that will change in the future, but we have a long way to go. (…) It will take a very long time and a very deep introspection for Russia to return to the living rooms of the civilized world after this conflict.he said, quoted by Polish agency PAP.

On February 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, the museum called the Russian offensive“A barbaric act, [qui] will be judged by history, its authors – it is hoped – by the International Court of Justice”The museum wrote on Twitter.

Built in occupied Poland, Auschwitz-Birkenau is a symbol of Nazi Germany’s genocide against six million European Jews. Between 1940 and 1945, one million Jews were killed in the camp. About 80,000 non-Jewish Poles, 25,000 Roma and 20,000 Soviet soldiers also died there.