Street artists in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg sketched caricatures of city and regional officials around potholes to draw attention to the poor state of local roads, a news report said Monday.
The caricatures of Alexander Yakob, head of the city administration, Mayor Yevgeny Porunov and Sverdlovsk Governor Yevgeny Kuivashev appeared overnight on some of the city's central streets, Urals news agency Ura.ru reported.
In pictures posted to social-networking site Vkontakte, the officials' black-and-white faces appear alongside what appear to be quotations from past speeches.
Kuivashev, for instance, has the phrase "Reconstructing the roads is our main task" written in stenciled white letters below his chin, while Porunov promises to finish repairing the city's roads by April 2012.
Yekaterinburg is often criticized for the poor upkeep of its roads, and local officials have repeatedly promised upgrading the road surface, according to Ura.ru.
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.
Remind me later.