Someone tried to blow up the Lenin monument in the central square of Donetsk, the capital of one of the two breakaway “republics” in eastern Ukraine.
A portion of the pedestal upon which the statue of Lenin stands has been damaged. Locals said they heard an explosion during the night, according to the news agency Interfax.
Donetsk municipal authorities have called it an attempt of sabotage by Ukrainian nationalists.
“The attack on the monument took place at 3:50 a.m. Cameras recorded two young men at the scene. They hid behind a billboard, located near the monument. This matter is now being addressed by law enforcement,” said local Donetsk offical Vladislav Latyntsev to reporters on Wednesday morning, January 27.
A defense official for the Donetsk People’s Republic said it was “an act of terrorism directed against us by Ukrainian nationalists.”
The monument shows significant damage. The area around central Lenin Square has been cordoned off.
On April 7, 2014, pro-Russian separatists seized control of Donetsk’s central government buildings. They declared the “Donetsk People’s Republic,” and asked for Russian assistance and intervention to break away from Ukraine.