Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Monumental complex dedicated to 1966 earthquake. Work by Soviet sculptor Dmitry Ryabichev (1926-1995)

One of the most significant monuments in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, is “Courage” – Monumental complex dedicated to 1966 earthquake. It stands at the intersection of Sharaf Rashidov avenue (in Soviet times Lenin Avenue) and Abdullah Kadiri street.
At 5:24, on April 26, 1966, an earthquake measuring 8,3 points on the Richter scale shook the city. The strongest seismic impact changed the face of the city forever. Noteworthy, the epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of about ten kilometers right under the central districts of Tashkent. Accordingly, the “Courage” monument appeared later approximately on this place.
Interestingly, the tragic event which took place on 26 April 1966 has mystic symbols, I mean 26 April – Chernobyl tragedy (1986), and the year 1966 speaks for itself.
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Grigory Rasputin monument in Tyumen. Author of the composition – Tyumen sculptor Vladimir Zolotukhin

Grigory Rasputin monument in Tyumen

On the territory of the modern perinatal center in Tyumen appeared a monument to Grigory Rasputin. The place was not chosen by chance: it is here the old man was undergoing treatment after being stabbed in the stomach in 1914, and then worked as an orderly. The statue of an old man in a full-length, the hand rests on on a Viennese chair, which according to legend, helped him to heal men’s disease. Rasputin – known historical figure, and he deserves this monument. According to Tyumen sculptor Vladimir Zolotukhin, he used archival photographs working on the monument. The composition appeared thanks to the sponsors of 15 Tyumen enterprises.
Unfortunately, the monument is made of glass, plastic, but such a historical figure deserves a solid monument, at least bronze. Rasputin was a believer, and many of his prophecies come true. He was a real saint, brutally murdered 30 December 1916. All the legends that go of him – no more than a fairy tale, invented by enemies to defame.
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Installed in 2013 World Famous Song Katyusha Monument. 2013. Sculptor Ivan Kulakov

World Famous Song Katyusha Monument
Actually, the monument embodies women of the Soviet Union longing for their absent beloved, who has gone away on military service during the war. Pretty Russian girl from popular wartime song “Katyusha” appeared in Vladivostok thanks to a local historian Nelly Miz. She shared the idea on the Web and the local intelligentsia strongly supported her. St. Petersburg based artist Konstantin Novikov created a sketch, and Kemerovo based sculptor Ivan Kulakov made the monument.
In fact, the prototype of this monument, as well as the girl from the song was Katya Alexeeva (nee Filippova), a border guard’s wife. Matvey Blanter and Mikhail Isakovsky have created a great song after meeting with her. By the way, Katyusha is the Russian equivalent of Kate, or Catherine.
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Work by Soviet Sculptor Grigory Postnikov (14 October 1914 – 1978). Towards the Stars monument in Moscow

Towards the Stars monument in Moscow

The Sculpture “Towards the Stars” has been installed at the main entrance to the Catherine Park (then park of Central House of the Russian Army) in 1958, a year after the launch of the first artificial satellite of the Earth and the three years prior to the flight of Yuri Gagarin into space. Like Prometheus carrying fire to mankind, the sculpture depicts a young, half-naked and powerful titan in a loincloth. Like a flare into the sky, he launches a missile that rushes into the infinite blue sky toward new discoveries and adventures.
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Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna monument in Mariinsk, Kemerovo region, Russia. Sculptor Leonty Usov

Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna monument appeared in a small Siberian city of Mariinsk, on September 15, 2007. The author of the monument, Tomsk sculptor Leonty Usov created it on voluntary donations from individuals. The Empress sits on a bench and holds a dove in her hand – a traditional symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit. The bench has a place, specially left for those wishing to have a picture with her. By the way, the city got its name in honor of the Empress in 1857. Born Marie of Hesse and by Rhine German princess, became known in Russia as Maria Alexandrovna, the first wife of Emperor Alexander II. In addition, in Mariinsk there is also a bust of Emperor Alexander II. Besides, Mariinsk is the only town of Kuzbass (Kemerovo region), which the Russian Emperors have ever visited.
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Eastern Europe Monuments Park in China exhibits copies of exclusively Russian monuments and sculptures

Eastern Europe Monuments Park in Manchuria, that is in the northern China, on the border between China and Russia. Despite its name, the park exhibits copies of exclusively Russian monuments and sculptures. Among them are copy of the famous monument by Vera Mukhina “Worker and Collective Farm woman”, Bronze Horseman (copy of the monument to Peter The Great in St. Petersburg), copy of the Volgograd monument “Motherland Calls”, the monuments of famous Russian poets and writers such as Pushkin, Turgenev, and others. In the evening the sculptures are illuminated, the classical music and music of Soviet authors is played, that adds a special effect to the sculptural park in Chinese Manchuria.
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Russian-Armenian Friendship Monument. ‘Uniform cross’ Monument in Moscow (left, 1997) and in Yerevan (right, 2013). Granite. Authors FM Soghoyan, VF Soghoyan

Uniform Cross – Russian-Armenian Friendship Monument

This white stone sculpture of two female figures united by the large cross is a monument to friendship between Russian and Armenian peoples. Between the two monuments – twenty years and almost two thousand kilometers. The first one was set in Moscow as a gift of Armenia to the 850th anniversary of Moscow (1997), the second, its copy, – in Yerevan in 2013. The authors of the ‘Uniform Cross’ Monument talented Armenian sculptors Frid and Vahe Soghoyan. Female figures represent Armenia and Russia, and the cross – a symbol of the common Christian faith, cementing their friendship. Relations between the two countries and cultures are quite immense, and numerous Armenian cultural sites and monuments in Moscow – a testament to this fact. In 1711 Peter the Great issued a decree, which said: “To care for Armenians as much as possible, and to facilitate what is needed, in order to get more arrivals and the desire to live in Russia”. Due to the fact that many Armenians settled in Stolpov Lane, in the XVIII century it was renamed in Armenian Lane.
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