Russia is demanding that Bulgaria try harder to prevent vandalism of Soviet monuments, after a monument to Soviet troops in Sofia was spray-painted last year.
Grafitti artists transformed the soldiers in the monument into popular superheroes and cartoon characters, including Superman, The Joker, Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald.
The Russian Embassy in Bulgaria has issued a note demanding that its former Soviet-era ally clean up the monument in Sofia’s Lozenets district, identify and punish those responsible, and take “exhaustive measures” to prevent similar attacks in the future, the news agency reported.

Image Credit - Mona Caron - Via - OpticalSpy

Graffiti artist King Robbo, who rose to prominence in London in the 1980s and notoriously feuded with fellow artist Banksy, has died. The 45-year-old had been in a vegetative state since 2011 when he was found at the bottom of a flight of stairs with a head injury. His team paid tribute to him after he died on Thursday, claiming he "changed the art world forever". Robbo's tit-for-tat feud with Bansky was the subject of a TV documentary.
On Robbo's website, his team wrote: "Peace and respect to Robbo's close family and friends... the Crew of Team Robbo and WRH and all his many fans and supporters around the world. "Team Robbo - "All the way" - Robbo changed the art world…forever!"

Banksy's tributeKing Robbo started tagging trains in London in the 1980s after the practice became popular in New York, though he became less active in the 90s. A representative from Team Robbo said: "He was known by a lot of underground graffiti writers, old-school writers, the original pioneers." He added: "He was infectious. Once you'd met him, you'd know that you would have met him."

His notorious feud with Banksy began in 2009 when the Bristol-based artist painted over one of his tags next to Regent's Canal in Camden, which dated from 1985.