MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian side was invited to join Israel, Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia in the project for the renovation of the museum and memorial site in Sobibor in 2013. However, in July Moscow received an official message from Warsaw that the project would continue without Russia's participation. The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed its disappointment with Warsaw's refusal to allow Moscow to participate in the project.
"The situation that our might-have-been partners, namely the Netherlands, Slovakia and Israel, I stress Israel, have changed their position regarding the Russian participation is surprising… In this context we had to summon the heads of diplomatic missions of the aforementioned countries to the Russian Foreign Ministry to receive explanations," Maria Zakharova told reporters.
The official added that Moscow had repeatedly received statements that Russia would participate in the renovation of the museum.
The Sobibor Nazi death camp operated from March 1942 until the end of 1943. According to the latest data by historians, Nazis killed about 170,000 Jews from Poland and other European countries there.
