Advertisement

Vladimir Putin waxwork removed from museum after damaged by visitors

The wax statue of Russian President Vladimir Putin is being packed is a box before it is stored as a reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine  (AFP via Getty Images)
The wax statue of Russian President Vladimir Putin is being packed is a box before it is stored as a reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine (AFP via Getty Images)

A Paris museum has taken down a waxwork of Vladimir Putin after visitors defaced the statue following his invasion of Ukraine.

Director of Paris’ Grevin Museum has suggested the life-like statue should be replaced by the “heroic” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Museum director Yves Delhommeau told French channel France Bleu radio: “Today is it no longer possible to present a character like him. For the first time in the museum’s history, we are withdrawing a statue because of historical events currently underway.”

He revealed visitors to the museum over the weekend had vandalised the waxwork leaving it looking “dishevelled”.

The museum director added: “Given what has happened, we and our staff do not want to have to fix his hair and appearance every day.”

An empty spot has been left where the waxwork of Putin stood between the statues of US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A statue of Ukrainian President could be set to replace Putin’s model.

Ukraine's President Zelenskiy is seen during a call with US President Biden (via REUTERS)
Ukraine's President Zelenskiy is seen during a call with US President Biden (via REUTERS)

He added: “Maybe President Zelensky will take his place... He has become a hero for having resisted and for not fleeing his country. He could perfectly well take his place his among the great men of history and today.”

In 2014, a demonstrator with “Kill Putin” painted across her bare chest stabbed the statue and smashed its skull following Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.

It came as thousands of terrified people were seeking to flee Kyiv amid fears Putin will “carpet bomb” Ukraine’s capital as his troops suffer “significant losses” in his blundering invasion plan.

Air raid sirens sounded overnight in the city as it was hit with fresh bombardment with an eerie quiet hanging over the streets early on Wednesday.

But Ukraine’s president Zelensky issued a chilling warning on the Russian threat to Kyiv.

He said: “They know nothing about our capital. About our history. But they have an order to erase our history. Erase our country. Erase us all.”