Moscow: A statute of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin was blown up by unidentified men on the New Year Eve in the Ukrainian city of Zaporozhye, according to reports. The Stalin statue was installed in front of the regional office of the Ukraine's Communist party and was blown to pieces about an hour before the New Year fireworks.
"Several minutes before the blast, a group of men was seen walking along the fence. One of them climbed over the fence and hung a bag that obviously had an explosive device inside it on the statue," RIA Novosti reported quoting a police report.
The report said the statue was completely destroyed and no one was injured in the incident.
A criminal case has been launched and a search for the miscreants is on.
In December 2011, Ukraine, along with other former Soviet republics, would be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fragmentation of the ex-USSR, created by Josef Stalin.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 01, 2011, 20:19