Arrest for Desecration of Eternal Flame in Yekaterinburg
In Yekaterinburg, a man suspected of desecrating the Eternal Flame has been taken into custody by order of the Verkh-Isetsky District Court.
44-year-old Stanislav Danilov is accused under Part 2 of Article 243.4 of the Russian Criminal Code (desecration of symbols of military glory). According to investigation materials, on January 27 on Kommunarov Street, he settled on the monument, lit a copper wire from the flame, and consumed alcoholic beverages.
«The accused is a native of Yekaterinburg and at 44 years old clearly knew that the Eternal Flame on Kommunarov Square is a sacred place for every resident of Sverdlovsk Region. Nevertheless, he had the audacity to commit blasphemous actions, for which he now faces up to five years in prison. From the characterizing information about this individual, it only remains to add that he has previously been repeatedly held administratively and criminally liable,» said Valery Gorelykh, head of the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Sverdlovsk Region.
The court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center until March 28. The Investigative Committee continues to investigate the case.
This is not the first incident with similar actions. For example, in St. Petersburg, two young men from Yekaterinburg were detained for pouring alcohol on the flame of the Eternal Flame.
