Headstones desecrated at Ukrainian cemetery in Maryland, police say. ‘It’s just sad’
Headstones were found knocked down and desecrated at a Ukrainian church’s cemetery in Maryland last week and police say they’re investigating.
Reports of the damaged cemetery come as Russia’s attack on neighboring Ukraine is ongoing in Eastern Europe and hundreds, potentially thousands, of Ukrainians have died as of Feb. 28. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine on three fronts early Thursday, Feb. 24, “bombarding cities, towns and villages.”
“It’s just sad,” Myron Skyrczuk, who was visiting his brother’s grave when he discovered the destroyed headstones told 11 News. His brother’s headstone was one of many damaged at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church’s cemetery in Dundalk last week.
He also found broken urns and said he couldn’t believe “somebody would come here and desecrate headstones of people that worked here in the U.S. and wanted a better life,” according to the outlet.
The destruction is being investigated by Baltimore county police, the Baltimore Sun reported, and they plan to analyze potential fingerprints that may have been left on the headstones.
Cemetery administrator Stephen Humeniuk told the newspaper that “the first thing you think is a hate crime, but you can’t prove it.”
“There was no notes. There was no spray paint. Nothing to indicate that. It was just the timing of the incident and the crisis in Ukraine.”
McClatchy News reached out to Baltimore county police and a spokesperson said the release of a public statement is pending. McClatchy News also reached out to the church for comment.
“I’m hoping we can get the headstones repaired, maybe some more fencing, somehow maybe run some electric and having some type of camera system within the cemetery,” Skyrczuk told WBFF.
Roughly four years ago, the church’s cemetery was vandalized in a similar incident, according to a pastor, 11 News reported.
“The cemetery will always be a place for generations to come and visit family members and friends who have passed in tranquility,” the church wrote online about its cemetery.
St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church is in Baltimore.
“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” U.S. President Joe Biden wrote Feb. 23 on Twitter about the Russia and Ukraine conflict.
“This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote Feb. 24 on Twitter.
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 1:49 PM with the headline "Headstones desecrated at Ukrainian cemetery in Maryland, police say. ‘It’s just sad’."
.jpg)