Support The Moscow Times!

Roofer Activist Changes His Name to 'Glory to Ukraine'

A man takes a "selfie" as he stands with a Ukrainian flag on top of one of Moscow's so-called "Seven Sisters," which was also painted in Ukrainian colors.

A Ukrainian roofer who painted a Soviet star on top of a Moscow landmark in his country's blue and yellow colors said he has officially changed his name to "Slava Ukraine," meaning "Glory to Ukraine."

The roofer, who is wanted on vandalism and hooliganism charges in Russia after his stunt earlier this year, disclosed his new name during a talk show on Ukraine's 1+1 Channel this week.

Asked by a television host what his new name was, the roofer, better known by his moniker Mustang Wanted, responded: "Glory to Ukraine" — an exclamation popular with protestors who forced out the country's pro-Russian president from office earlier this year.

The studio audience fell silent for a moment, apparently digesting the meaning of what he said, before bursting into applause. One viewer responded by shouting out the second part of the popular slogan: "Glory to the Heroes."

In Ukrainian or Russian, "Slava" is a common short form of the popular first name Vyacheslav.

The roofer said his new name is officially listed in his passport. He also said that he left his patronymic, a middle name commonly used in formal address, unchanged, but declined to disclose what it was.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser from Ukraine's Interior Ministry, said in a Facebook post earlier this fall that the roofer planned to change his first and last name "so that it would grate on Russia's nerves, while, conversely, inspiring Ukrainians toward new accomplishments."

Gerashchenko added that he knew what name the roofer had chosen but would leave it for him to disclose it.

Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov claimed on his Facebook page the same day that the roofer had supposedly pledged to change his name to "Vladimir Putin" — the name of the Russian president.

"And let's put Vladimir Putin on an international wanted list," Nemtsov said, referencing the fact that Russia has issued an international arrest warrant for Mustang Wanted.

The roofer also told the 1+1 talk show that he had sold a brief video he made of the painted skyscraper star to Russia's Kremlin-linked television channel Life News for $5,000 — and has donated the money to Ukraine's Donbas Battalion, a Kiev-loyalist force.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss 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