Prague revokes Soviet Marshal Konev’s honorary citizenship

The Prague City Assembly voted on Thursday to revoke the city’s honorary citizenship for Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, who was in overall command of the Soviet forces that entered Prague towards the end of the Prague Uprising. Marshal Konev had held the honorary citizenship since June 1945. It was taken away due to some of his controversial acts, such as the bombing of Mlada Boleslav after the war, or his participation in crushing the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, the Czech News Agency reports.

The decision was opposed by some representatives of the ANO party, which is currently in opposition. Some of their representatives in the Assembly described it as a useless and populist gesture.

Ivan Konev was one of Josef Stalin’s favourite generals and would rise to command key Red Army formations during the war. During the Cold War he served as the supreme commander of the forces of the Warsaw Pact.