First equestrian statue of Vladimir Putin created

Now, there is an equestrian statue of Vladimir Purin. Moreover, the statue portraits Putin as Russian prince St. Alexandr Nevsky (who lived in 13th century). So, you see, Vladimir Putin should be soon acknowledged being the father of nation, wise and great, the main philologist, geneticist, military commander, and it is, probably, high time to issue something like Mao Ze Dong quotation book. In the city of Nizhny Novgorod, Ivan Oleinikov, till recently not known to anybody, but now already a famous prisoner of a special regime prison, has created a Putin equestrian statue. Now, Oleinikov admits he wanted to cut out an Alexandr Nevsky statue, though Providence directed the artist’s arm: the horseman lost his beard by chance. “And I suddenly saw not the beardless prince, but our president,” – Ivan Oleinikov said. The work was difficult. For more than a year, the 30-year-old carpenter and joiner was creating something in a workshop of the prison’s industrial zone. A rumour appeared in the prison, that on the 5th year of imprisonment (Ivan is sentenced to 9-year imprisonment for a murder), Ivan had become mad and, to spite to everybody, decided to create a Liberty statue or an Alexandr Nevsky statue (Alexandr Nevsky is very esteemed in the city of Nizhny Novgorod) of a huge stump. According to another version, Oleinikov was performing the regional administration order to create a Putin bust. The latter thought was not unreasonable. In the office of almost every functionary, a modest photograph of the beloved president could be seen, while recently a new fashion became obvious – to have the president sculpture. Oleinikov was working willingly, heart and soul, but not expecting some indulgence. Several days ago, the sculpture approved of by the supreme direction of the institution, was established in an honoured place, not far from the administration building of the industrial zone. The statue’s unveiling was not very ceremonial, though soon, the whole city learned about it. The new horseman fashion will most likely spread, so Oleinikov will have numerous orders.

Yelena Kiseleva PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/culture/2002/05/31/42077.html

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