Two held for collusion in "desecration" of Moscow tower - source
MOSCOW. Aug 28 (Interfax) - Russian security officers have arrested two men on suspicion of painting the colors of the Ukrainian flag at the top of a historic tower on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment in Moscow, a law enforcement source told Interfax on Wednesday evening.
He said the officers were able to locate and arrest the two young men, who are so-called "roofers."
The men, one of whom was found in Moscow, the other in St. Petersburg, have already been brought for questioning, the source said.
They are suspected of aiding a Ukrainian roofer, Grisha the Mustang, during the prank: while he was painting the Ukrainian flag colors on the star on the spire of the building, they took pictures and filmed what was happening.
The Ukrainian man himself is currently in his home country, the source added.
Officials have not commented on the latest arrests yet.
It was reported that a yellow and blue Ukrainian flag was hung and the upper half of the gold-color star painted in blue at the top of the Stalin-era tower building in Kotelnicheskaya Embankment early in the morning on August 20.
On the same day police arrested four young people with alpine gear: Alexander Pogrebov, Alexei Shirokozhukhov, Anna Lepyoshkina and Yevgeny Korotkov. They are suspected of being involved in the tower incident. On August 21 the Tagansky District Court of Moscow placed all four under house arrest until October 19.
The suspects have denied their involvement in covering the star with paint and hanging the Ukrainian flag. They claim they found themselves at the scene of the crime by accident, while jumping from a part of the roof that is several dozen meters below the spire with the star.
On August 22, a man who referred to himself as a Ukrainian citizen called Hryhory (Grisha the Mustang Wanted) posted a message on social-networking sites saying that the four Russians arrested in connection with the tower incident were not guilty.
