Bulgarians Keep Vandalizing This Soviet Monument And Some Of Them Are Hilarious

If you are from the Eastern block of Europe, you sure saw a lot of Soviet monuments everywhere. Soldiers, proudly leaning in forward in hope for a head-on fight with their guns in hands, Others standing in all their impressive and muscular majesty, huge heads of Lenin… You’ve seen them all. While for the older generation, it can really excite positive sentiments, even thoughts of the great Soviet army maybe, for the younger generation these monuments are usually synonymous with the good ole Soviet propaganda.

The younger generation of Bulgarians falls into the last category. In Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, a large monument for the Soviet Army was constructed back in 1954. However, it sure has seen better days, as the monument becomes a target of vandalism over and over again. The city administrators clean it only to find it covered in the paint all over again.

It all started in 2011 when the monument was painted to look like a mish-mash of American pop-culture icons

Image credits: Ignat Ignev

The painting job was done by a club of anonymous artists who call themselves Destructive Creation. The daunting military figures were changed into much more familiar subjects like Superman, Ronald McDonald, Santa Claus, and Wonder Woman. A slogan which translates into English as “In pace with time” was written beneath them.

In 2012, the monument’s soldiers were given balaclavas in support of Pussy Riot

Image credits: Nikolay Tsekov

In 2012, three previously arrested members of the Russian feminist protest punk rock band Pussy Riot were sentenced by a Russian court and sent to prison for two years. This was publicly criticized outside Russia and on the same day of the conviction, colorful knit balaclavas (trademark of Pussy Riot members) were put on the heads of personalities of the monument.

In 2013, it was covered in pink in honor of the anniversary of the Prague Spring in 1968

Image credits: Ignat Ignev

The pink color is a hint to the painting of The Monument to Soviet Tank Crews in Prague by David Černý in 1991., while the slogan under the figures says “Bulgaria apologizes.”

In 2014, it announced “Glory to Ukraine”

Image credits: Vassia Atanassova

In February 2014, the monument was covered in the paint once again and this time it praised Ukraine that was (and still is) a victim of Russia’s aggression. One of the veterans and the flag above was painted in the national colors of Ukraine and the phrase “Glory to Ukraine” was written in Ukrainian on the monument. An offensive reference to Vladimir Putin was also made, by calling him “Kaputin.” The vandalism was an action to support the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution.

Here’s how the monument looks without any paint on it

Image credits: kashulk