A statue of Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev was unveiled on Saturday in the Valley of Death, near the village of Kružlov in the vicinity of Dukla Pass.
The unveiling was attended by Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac, MEP Lubos Blaha (both Smer-SD), Russian Ambassador to Slovakia Sergey Andreev, and chairman of the Slovak Union of Anti-Fascist Fighters Jaroslav Demian.
In his speech, the Russian ambassador thanked Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), who, he said, had come up with the initiative two years ago to commemorate Konev in Slovakia.
Konev was named an honorary citizen of Prague on June 6, 1945. According to Prague City Hall, however, the decision to grant him honorary citizenship should be viewed in the historical context of the time and in light of subsequent developments in Czechoslovakia.
Konev remains a controversial historical figure. In 2022, Prague City Council revoked his honorary citizenship, citing controversial aspects of his military career. These included his role in the suppression of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and the bombing of Mladá Boleslav shortly after the end of World War II.
Konev also served as commander of the Soviet forces in Berlin from 1961 to 1962, a period that coincided with the construction of the Berlin Wall.
The issue of commemorating Konev in Slovakia was also discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Robert Fico during a 15-minute public portion of their meeting in Moscow on May 10, 2025. The two also discussed military cemeteries in Slovakia.
“I am also aware of your proposal to erect a monument to Marshal Konev in Slovakia. It is a very noble gesture, and we are grateful to you for it. If you need anything from us, we are ready to do whatever is necessary,” Putin said when the issue was raised.
Source: TASR, SME
