Slovakia: Russia accuses mayor of harming WWI soldier graves

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Officials in Slovakia have dismissed claims by the Russian Embassy that graves of Russian soldiers from World War I were damaged on orders from the local village mayor. The embassy said Russia’s ambassador to Slovakia visited a cemetery in Ladomirova earlier this week and found the graves “almost completely destroyed.” In a statement, it accused the mayor of being responsible for what it called “a blasphemous act.” The prosecutor-general of Slovakia said authorities would investigate. The mayor denied having the graves destroyed. He said some dilapidated concrete was removed and that his government planned to approach the Russian Embassy with a request to financially support work to fix up the cemetery.