High Winds Bring Down Monument To Russian Construction Workers

A 25-meter-tall monument honoring Russian construction workers in the southern city of Volgodonsk has collapsed in a severe windstorm.

Russian media reported on March 29 that the monument was brought down during an overnight storm.

The column was erected in 2011 and consisted of a column topped with an eagle surrounded at the bottom with reliefs showing aspects of construction such as welding and bricklaying.

Local authorities said the monument would be restored and estimated the cost at 1.5 million rubles ($26,500).

According to social media reports, a World War II monument in the nearby town of Romanovskaya that featured a Yak-18 fighter aircraft on a plinth was also damaged when the wind brought the plane to the ground.

The storm left about 40,000 people in Rostov Oblast without electricity.

Based on reporting by RIA Novosti and RosBalt