Soviet-era memorial in Berlin defaced with Ukraine war graffiti

The Soviet War memorial in Berlin's Treptower Park has been defaced for the second time in a month with slogans relating to the war in Ukraine, local police said Monday.

A spokesperson said vandals had written "murderer", "orcs" - a reference from JRR Tolkien's fantasy books - and also the letter "Z."

The latter is generally associated with support for Russia's aggression against its neighbour, but it was unclear if the symbol was used to support or criticize Moscow in this instance.

Police discovered the graffiti overnight during a patrol of the monument, which was built in the wake of World War II to commemorate Soviet soldiers who perished in the Battle of Berlin.

The white graffiti is to be made unrecognizable, the police spokesperson said.

Ukraine war, Putin

Graffiti already appeared on the site earlier this month. Slogans slamming the war in Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin were sprayed on the memorial with red paint.

The Russian embassy stated at the time that it was "deeply outraged by the blatant act of vandalism." Authorities in Berlin announced that protection concepts would be adapted. 

The police spokesperson said on Monday that protective measures were in effect in Treptow, but gave no details.