![monument-soviet-army-sofia-4[6]](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/113/1133838/the-painted-monument-to-the-soviet-army-in-bu-L-JhkZSK.jpeg "The Painted Monument to the Soviet Army in Bulgaria")
![monument-soviet-army-sofia-6[5]](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/113/1133838/the-painted-monument-to-the-soviet-army-in-bu-L-crOjl_.jpeg "The Painted Monument to the Soviet Army in Bulgaria")
![monument-soviet-army-sofia-7[6]](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/113/1133838/the-painted-monument-to-the-soviet-army-in-bu-L-coShfH.jpeg "The Painted Monument to the Soviet Army in Bulgaria")
![monument-soviet-army-sofia-10[6]](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/113/1133838/the-painted-monument-to-the-soviet-army-in-bu-L-yxHvFa.jpeg "The Painted Monument to the Soviet Army in Bulgaria")
The Monument to the Soviet Army is situated in the King’s Garden in the heart of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Built in 1954, it was created as a symbol of gratitude for the Soviet Red Army for helping Bulgaria on their war efforts during the second World War. The monument depicts a soldier of the Soviet Army, surrounded by a male worker and a female peasant from Bulgaria.
The monument has been the victim to vandalism. The first act of vandalism was on June 2011, when the monument was painted overnight by unknown artists, who transformed the Soviet Army soldiers into popular American superheroes and cartoon characters including Superman, Joker, Captain America, Santa Claus, Wolverine, The Mask, and Wonder Woman. A caption was painted underneath which translates as “In pace with the times”. The event was widely covered by the international media and provoked serious pro and anti-Russian discussion in the Bulgarian society.
