Baltic States – CIS, Latvia, Legislation, Russia

The ministry's press secretary – Ivars Lasis, told LETA that a memorandum was indeed received, however, he declined to reveal its contents.

As reported, the said figure has apparently irked the Embassy, as it demanded an explanation from the Foreign Ministry at the end of last week.

The Russian Embassy said on its "Facebook" profile that the performance has caused "utmost dismay and disgust", adding that the presence of such provocative "art", in "a country presiding over the Council of the European Union, is unacceptable."

The figure is part of the exhibition titled "Disidents"/ "Dissident" in the courtyard of the so-called Corner House – the building once housing the KGB.

The Putin effigy has already seen heated reaction, specifically last weekend when five males pulled up in a car, jumped out, and attacked the exhibit, two persons in charge included. Their threats of serious reprisals were spoken in Russian.

The artists were quick to issue an apology that included an explanation that the doll resembling Putin is in fact an "acquaintance of one of the artists – a 40-something businessman, who lives in Italy."