Press Release, July 29, 2013

Candidate for the Mayor of Moscow Sergei Mitrokhin and activists of the YABLOKO party participated in a series of pickets by the Moscow Mayor’s Office protesting against the barbaric “reconstruction” Prince Volkonsky’s mansion.

The reconstruction of the memorial building built in 18-19 centuries and associated with Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” (Prince Volkonsky was prototype of Prince Bolkonsky in Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”) held in the interests of the Center for Development of Interpersonal Communications led to the destruction of the facade walls, outdoor décor and the dome. At present two new concrete floors are being built over the remains of the historical building.

Since March 2013 Moscow city development laws prohibiting reconstruction of buildings in the architectural heritage zones have been openly violated. In spite of the fact that the reconstruction plan did not get a permission from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Moscow authorities issued in 2011-2012 a permit for reconstruction and in 2013 did not take any action to save the historical building.

“The barbarians from the team of [Acting Mayor] Sergei Sobyanin dared to destroy this house, because the tenant wanted to expand the number of offices and get more money. For us, this is an evidence of Sergei Sobyanin and his team’s complete disrespect to the historical heritage of Moscow. These people are not Muscovites, they do not like our city, they do not like its historical heritage – all they will go on destroying it,” said Sergei Mitrokhin. Mitrokhin promised to struggle so that “this team would leave Moscow and went back where they come from”.

It is not the first action of Arkhnadzor public movement (Architectural Heritage Control) and the YABLOKO party in saving Prince Volkonsky’s mansion. In early July, Sergei Mitrokhin together with activists of the movement held a public inspection of the construction site.