Daghestani individual compelled to issue a video apology following damage to photographs of military personnel by his children.
In the heart of the Caucasus region, a seemingly innocent act of childish mischief has sparked a heated debate. A man, whose identity remains unveiled, has been forced to publicly apologise after his children drew on portraits of soldiers displayed as part of a commemorative campaign in Makhachkala.
The damaged photographs, showcasing holes and marks, apparently caused by a ballpoint pen and crayons, are part of an initiative by regional authorities to honour the dead and demonstrate public support for the invasion. These boards and banners, regularly updated, display portraits of residents of the region who took part in the fighting.
The incident occurred during a walk with the children's grandfather, and the children's faces were covered in the video that was published by the Telegram channel Criminal Chronicle, believed to be linked to law enforcement. No official comments have been made by law enforcement on whether the father or other family members face administrative or criminal liability.
The mayor of Makhachkala, Dzhambulat Salavov, described the incident as 'desecration' and 'an act of vandalism'. However, the father of the children stated that there was no malicious intent, it was just childish mischief.
The children are believed to be under 10 years old, and this incident is not the first of its kind. At least four photographs showing participants in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine have been damaged. Daghestan, one of the Russian regions with the highest losses in the invasion, is the location of these installations, which can be found in other cities of the region as well.
Amidst these changes, independent journalism in the region is under threat. A newsroom is being built by a community of readers to respond to these challenges. As of August, at least 1,642 soldiers from Daghestan have been confirmed to have been killed in the war in Ukraine, according to Mediazona and the BBC.
As the region continues to experience changes, the community is rallying together to support each other and seek truth in a world where it can sometimes be hard to come by.
