Russian flag painted on Denmark's landmark statue, police call it ‘vandalism’

By Ebad Ahmed

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AA) – A Russian flag was discovered painted onto the base of a landmark 110-year-old statue in Copenhagen’s famous tourist attraction area on Thursday.

The local police authorities registered “a case of vandalism” against yet-to-be-identified people, who painted the base of the Little Mermaid statue with colors of the Russian flag.

The Little Mermaid is a sculpture of a heroine from Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fictional story of the same name, and was made by sculptor Edvard Eriksen.

Copenhagen police said that the Russian flag was painted in the wee hours of Thursday, they registered “a case of vandalism” and are now searching for “traces” in the area.

Meanwhile, an investigation has been initiated against the act that is considered as an action showing support for Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine war.

Denmark, alongside other European countries, has taken a strong stance against Moscow in its war against Ukraine. It has donated as many as 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery systems to Ukraine – a move that in fact halted its own ambition to build up its own military power under its commitment to NATO.

Caesar howitzers are powerful, long-range guns placed on an armored truck with a range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), and the sought-after artillery equipment can fire six shots within 60 seconds.