A criminal case has been opened in Kamensk-Uralsky, a city in the Urals, after marshmallows were roasted over the Eternal Flame.

The Investigative Committee in Kamensk-Uralsky, a city in the Urals region, has opened a criminal case for desecration of a symbol of military glory (Art. 354.1 of the Criminal Code) because two schoolgirls roasted marshmallows on the Eternal Flame. This was reported by the Sverdlovsk Region Investigative Committee on its official website.

According to law enforcement officials, the incident took place on the evening of 11 September at the Memorial to the Worker-Soldiers of the Kamensk-Uralsky Non-Ferrous Metals Plant. The “Eternal Flame” monument is located there.

“According to investigators, at the specified time two local underage residents, while at the Eternal Flame, used the flame of the symbol of military glory for the thermal preparation of food (a confectionery item). During this time, the girls filmed their unlawful actions, and the video was distributed on social media,” the agency wrote.

The press release does not specify whether the teenagers have reached the age of criminal responsibility. The Investigative Committee stated that the question of holding the girls' parents administratively responsible is under consideration. “The investigators will also take the necessary preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future,” the statement said.

Earlier, the Telegram channel “Podslushano Kamensk-Uralsky” published a video of two girls roasting marshmallows on the Eternal Flame. They recorded their actions on a phone and apparently uploaded the footage to social media.

• In recent years, the number of criminal cases for desecration of World War II monuments has increased severalfold. The vast majority of such cases are initiated over various actions by citizens at the Eternal Flame: dancing, cooking food, and so on. You can read more about this in the OVD-Info report.