Support The Moscow Times!

Police Seize Painting of Putin and Obama Comparing Genitalia

Alexander Donskoy (left), owner of the G-Spot museum and Museum of Power.

St. Petersburg police have removed a print from an erotic museum that depicts Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama posing naked and boasting oversized multicolored appendages.

The copy of the painting, called "Wrestling," had been on display at the G-Spot museum before police took it away Tuesday, the establishment said on its Vkontakte account.

The museum's owner, former Arkhangelsk Mayor Alexander Donskoi, said that the police didn't provide any documents authorizing the search and didn't explain why the print had been removed, Interfax reported Wednesday.

The museum was also ordered shut by the police, Donskoi said.

The original was painted by Vera Donskaya-Khilko, who is known for depicting public figures naked.

It is unclear whether the original of the painting would also be confiscated from the museum's Moscow branch.

St. Petersburg police last week raided the Museum of Power, also belonging to Donskoi, and seized four paintings, including one of Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in women's lingerie.

The artist responsible for the paintings, Konstantin Altunin, has fled the country and requested political asylum in France.

Police on Tuesday briefly held the Museum of Power's director, Tatyana Titova, and three other people, saying a man had reported them acting suspiciously in his courtyard.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more