The 1,4 meter high bronze statue to be erected in downtown Arkhangelsk later this month commemorates the important role of seal hunting during 2WW. Seal meat saved the lives of thousands of Russian northerners during the war. Arkhangelsk was among the Russian cities worst hit by hunger during the war.
Local authorities have paid sculpture Igor Skripkin more than 2 million RUB for the work, the city authorities website informs.
Russia has long traditions in seal hunting, and the White Sea has one of Europe’s richest stocks of the animal.
The EU’s ban on sea products, which is coming into force this spring, has spurred strong reactions both from Norway and Canada. They argue that the EU has no scientific materials which support the seal ban.
