Ukrainian cemetery in Maryland vandalized

DUNDALK, Md. (WBAL) – Maryland authorities are looking for whoever is responsible for vandalizing a Ukrainian cemetery.

Broken headstones can be seen just a few steps into the St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church Cemetery in Baltimore. Myron Skyrczuk was the first person to make the discovery.

“All those over there,” he said. “Here, they snapped. They knocked everything in the back down.”

The damages include headstones broken, toppled over, and urns that were shattered.

Nearly two dozen of these vandalized grave sites belong to Baltimore’s Ukrainian community.

“I would never do anything this stupid,” Skyrczuk said. “Desecrate somebody’s final resting place.”

Skyrczuk came to the cemetery to visit the site of his brother, Anton. He found his brother’s tombstone toppled over instead.

Thankfully, his parents’ gravestones were untouched.

“It’s just sad,” Skyrczuk said. “You figure this is a place where you can come and do prayer and pay respects to family, friends, relatives.”

He says this is not what he imagined, especially at a time like this.

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, Skyrczuk says this is another blow to a community already mourning.

“It’s sad that a larger country like that wants to take over the Ukraine only for their spiteful politics … political, economic reasons that make no sense really,” he said. “I’m hoping that the world really sees it and we can all unite and do something about it.”

Skyrczuk says he’s been in touch with the church.

The church said it’s working to determine the funds necessary to repair the damages.

A police report has been filed, and a caretaker is looking into adding more security.

“I just hope things work out for the Ukrainian people,” Skyrczuk said. “I hope it works out.”

Skyrczuk is choosing to remain hopeful that people will rebuild in the distant country, and that they will rebuild in the Baltimore Cemetery.

The cemetery’s gates are now shut, and only families with a key are able to access it.

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