Monument to Putin as emperor put up near Saint Petersburg (photo)

Bust of Russian President Vladimir Putin has appeared in a cottage town near the Agalatovo village 20 km from Saint Petersburg, BBC reports. The head of Russia is shown in the image of the Roman emperor - dressed in a toga over the ancient armor. On his chest, there is a medal with the Russia's coat of arms. It is reported that the authors of the statue planned to put a a laurel wreath on Putin's head, but then this idea was abandoned.

The opening of the monument was initiated by the urban Cossack community Irbis of Saint-Petersburg. The Ataman of the community, Andrey Polyakov, said that "this image represents our Russian democracy." The bust is on private land, so an official permit for its installation was not necessary.

Mr Polyakov said, he decided to put up a monument after the annexation of Crimea, which he calls "the return of our Russian land" and compares it with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Photos - Reuters