1 charged in connection to 2021 vandalism at Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex

The words "Actual Nazi" were painted on the statute of Roman Shukhevych at Edmonton's Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex in August 2021.

Police have charged a man in relation to the vandalism of a Ukrainian monument in north Edmonton.

Duncan Kinney, 39, faces one count of mischief under $5,000 in connection to the August 2021 incident, Edmonton Police Service confirmed Tuesday.

When the words "Actual Nazi" were found painted in red on a statute of Roman Shukhevych outside the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex, the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton asked EPS' hate crime unit to investigate.

Aruond the same time, the words "Nazi Monument 14th Waffen SS” were found painted on a memorial at St. Michael's Cemetery one neighbourhood over.

Kinney was only charged in relation to the incident at 96 Street and 153 Avenue, or the youth centre, EPS spokesperson Carolin Maran said.

The Edmonton Journal has identified Kinney as the operator of progressive news outlet The Progress Report.

Kinney did not respond to CTV News Edmonton's requests for confirmation and comment.

While Shukhevych is celebrated by some as a Ukrainian military leader, he is also criticized by others as being involved in massacres of Jewish and Polish people.

The Progress Report published a story by Kinney on Aug. 10, 2021, about the defacing of the two monuments in north Edmonton by "an unknown person or persons." The story reported, "It’s unclear when this happened but pictures of both defaced monuments were sent to the Progress Report on August, 10, 2021."

The Progress Report calls itself an "independent and proudly left wing media project produced by Progress Alberta," a former advocacy group.