ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈɛn, ðə mˈɑːnjuːmənt wʌz vˈændəlˌaɪzd dʒˈʌst bᵻfˌoːɹ vˈɪktɚɹi ɪn jˈʊɹɹəp dˈeɪ sˌɛləbɹˈeɪʃənz wɪð ɹˈɛd ɡɹɐfˈiːɾi ðæt ɹˈiːd "θˈiːvz, mˈɜːdɚɹɚz, ɹˈeɪpɪsts", spˈɑːɹkɪŋ ɐ pɹˈoʊtɛst fɹʌmðə ɹˈʌʃən ˈɛmbəsi ɪn bɜːlˈɪn ðæt ɐkjˈuːzd dʒˈɜːmən ɐθˈɔːɹɪɾiz ʌv nˌɑːt tˈeɪkɪŋ səfˈɪʃənt mˈɛʒɚz tə pɹətˈɛkt ðə mˈɑːnjuːmənt.
In 2010, the monument was vandalized just before Victory in Europe Day celebrations with red graffiti that read "thieves, murderers, rapists", sparking a protest from the Russian Embassy in Berlin that accused German authorities of not taking sufficient measures to protect the monument.