A bust of Vladmir Putin , depicting the Russian leader dressed as a Roman emperor , is to be unveiled in St Petersburg . The Roman-style statue is being gifted by St.Petersburg ’ s fiercely nationalist Cossack community to commemorate the allies ’ victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War . The comparison of the strongman with the leaders of ancient Rome was in-part inspired by Putin ’ s decision to back pro-Russian separatists in the Ukraine , Newsweek reported . The clay mould was designed by a St. Petersburg sculptor , backed by the city 's popular Cossack community . The bust is at the St Petersburg 's Academy of arts , ahead to its unveiling at an underground station . St Petersburg ’ s traditionalist Cossack group Irbis , a popular organisation supporting Slavic military values , said the bust of Putin will be placed at an underground station in north St Petersburg . The city , formally Leningrad , is Putin ’ s home town . The bust ’ s designer , sculptor Pavel Greshnikov , was quoted as saying he had considered portraying the Russian leader in a suit and tie , in military fatigues and even in medieval armour . The statue is complete with a laurel wreath and other trappings of the Roman Empire . It is at Greshinov ’ s workshop at the St Petersburg Academy of arts , ahead to its unveiling . Putin may have upset some people with his Ukrainian activities , but in his hometown he is still popular . Cossacks have grown in popularity in Russian since the fall of communism in the 80s and 90s . The group , which prides itself on military valour and its Russian Orthodox Christian roots , has particularly warmed to Putin ’ s increasingly traditional values . Andrey Polykov , a local Cossack leader in St Petersburg , backed the creation of the Putin Statue . Lenin was commemorated in bronze throughout the USSR . However in many places the statues were torn down after the fall of communism . He was quoted as saying the Russian leader was one of the country ’ s ‘ brightest ’ and most ‘ positive ’ heads of state for ‘ the last hundred years or so ’ . Polykov claimed Putin had a record as a peacemaker following wars in Georgia in 2008 and Moldova in the early 1990s . Boris Yeltsin , Putin ’ s predecessor , has also been immortalised in sculpture . A statue of the post-Soviet leader was erected in Yekaterinburg in 2011 . Andrey Polyakov said his Cossack community had been planning for a long time to erect the Putin statue .
Vladmir Putin to be shown in a laurel wreath and a wearing a Roman tunic . Cossacks chose the St Petersburg statue to mark victory against Nazis . Traditional group said the idea was inspired by Putin 's stance on north St Petersburg . Sculptor said he considered putting Putin in a suit of armour or in fatigues .