Pro-Russian symbol painted on gravestone in Šiauliai cemetery

A gravestone in a Šiauliai cemetery was defaced with a pro-Russian “Z” symbol over the weekend, police reported Sunday.

The white-painted letter was discovered Saturday evening, according to Lithuania’s Police Department, which is investigating the incident. Authorities have not yet identified suspects or motives.

The “Z” symbol was adopted by Russia’s military during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. That April, Lithuania’s parliament amended its Administrative Offences Code and Assembly Law to ban public displays of the “Z” and “V” letters, the St. George’s ribbon, and other symbols linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Such symbols are classified as propaganda for military aggression and war crimes against humanity.