Moscow-donated "World Peace" bronze sculpture dismantled in Helsinki

The bronze sculpture "World Peace", made by the Soviet-era sculptor Oleg Kiryukhin, has officially been dismantled in Finland’s capital Helsinki.

The Mayor’s Office of Moscow city, a sister city to Helsinki, donated it to the Finnish capital in 1989, Interfax reports, citing the Finnish TV company Yle. 

The monument, symbolising peace between the continents, was located near Hakaniemi Square.

The monument was removed from the pedestal and loaded onto a barge. The statue will be moved to another location. The city authorities explained the decision to remove the monument by reorganizing traffic on the square and Hakaniemenranta street, where a sidewalk will be laid.

The monument, presented to Helsinki by the Russian capital in 1989, was unveiled on January 14, 1990, a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The monument depicts people from different continents holding a globe with one hand with other hands clenched into fists. The monument has repeatedly become a victim of vandals who tried to paint over it. In addition, in 2010, unknown people tried to blow it up with balloons.