Moscow (Reuters)-a Russian monument for a bottle of vodka has been upended over fears that it could be seen as an illegal announcement for the favourite drink of the country.
The three-metre metal sculpture had become a local landmark in the Ural city of Glazov, 1,000 km (600 miles) East of Moscow. But residents woke one morning last week to find that had disappeared, leaving only an empty.
Fall of the bottle reflects a new spirit, sober of age in Russia under President Vladimir Putin, a judo black belt who rides, flies and dives for the cameras but is rarely seen raising a glass-unless in Brindisi a deal of billions of dollars of oil.
Putin signed a ban on all alcohol advertising in July last year, while other laws have banned the sale of alcohol from kiosks or after 23 Street at night.
Initial reports suggest that local authorities were behind the disappearance of the Memorial, built 13 years ago to celebrate the centenary of local spirits factory Glazovskiy.
But factory boss later told local media that they had decided to remove the monument from public view on fears that it might fall foul of strict advertising laws again.
"The monument of the bottle ... could be considered as an advertisement for our products. For this reason, a decision was taken to remove it, "Dmitry Pozdeev, head of the Legal Department of the factory, said local media. The sculpture was moved to the factory.
Russian Media suggested anti-drinking activists may have more work to do in the region. Stressed another sculpture of meatballs-a popular Russian drink-snack is still standing in the regional city of Izhevsk.
(Reported by Sonia Elks; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Oliver Holmes)
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