Russian-Czech Relations amidst Victory Day Anniversary

Abstract

The article analyzes type of current Russian-Czech relations, which have shown a tendency to worsen since the end of 2019. Its degradation took place in time of preparations for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The trigger of wide public resonance was the actions of the Czech authorities, which in early April decided to dismantle the monument of USSR Marshal Ivan Konev. This provocation, committed at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, provoked a stormy reaction in Russian society and among government officials. All the prominent politicians of the Czech Republic express disagreements; the Russian government’s position was voiced by key government ministers. The current situation exposed a significant change in the rhet- oric of the Czech political establishment in relation to historical events directly related to the World War II and the role of the Red Army in the liberation of Czechoslovakia in 1945. In the work, the author points to the reasons for such a value shift. He emphasizes the importance of the generational transformation of the Czech political elite. The conclusion is made about the increased tension in Russian-Czech relations, its persistence in future.

Keywords

• czech republic
• prague uprising
• victory day
• a. babiš
• m.zeman
• russian-czech relations
• z. hřib