Metro Vancouver 'Stand with Ukraine' mural vandalized with pro-Russia graffiti

Mounties in Burnaby, B.C., are investigating after a mural voicing support for Ukraine was defaced with a reference to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's dubious justifications for invading the country.

The blue-and-yellow "Stand with Ukraine" mural on Wilson Avenue near Metrotown was modified with red spray paint to read "Down with the Ukraine's Nazis."

Putin has justified Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a "special military operation" meant to demilitarize and "de-Nazify" the country. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish and the country's government does not espouse neo-Nazi ideology. Putin's claims may be a reference to the far-right Azov Battalion, a national guard formation aligned with Ukraine that does hold neo-Nazi views. 

Burnaby resident Martin Kendell posted a photo of the vandalism on social media Saturday, calling the perpetrator an "a**hole."

Kendell said he found out about the vandalism from his friend Jordan Malcolm, the artist who painted the mural.

"I was absolutely furious," Kendell said, adding that he's "frustrated this level of hatred exists in Burnaby."

Malcolm told CTV News he painted the mural, which is on a temporary plywood wall at a construction site across the street from his home, to express his feelings of solidarity with Ukraine.

"The construction site over here covered up some graffiti that was on the wall with the perfect shade of blue," he said. "I decided to get some yellow and some other things and do what I could."

The mural had been in place for about two weeks before the vandalism, Malcolm said.

He thinks whoever defaced the mural did so between 11:30 p.m. Friday and 2:30 a.m. Saturday, when he happened to wake up and see the end result.

Burnaby RCMP told CTV News they learned of the graffiti on Saturday and would be sending officers to canvas the area for video evidence.

Malcolm said he tried to cover up the message by painting over it, but he ran out of supplies. He's asking any Lower Mainland artists interested in helping to replace the mural to stop by the 5900 block of Wilson Avenue and contribute. 

Kendell said he's not sure whether the vandal is a Putin supporter or just a "troll," but he's hopeful that the community will come together to replace Malcolm's mural with something even better.

"It can't end like that," Kendell said.