Ukrainian Daredevil Climber Admits to Painting the Moscow Star in Ukraine’s Colors  · Global Voices
Tanya Lokot

Ukrainian Mustang Wanted, who has become an Internet celebrity for his high-altitude stunts around the world, admitted to painting the star in Moscow. Image from Mustang Wanted on Facebook.
The story of Russia's colour revolution in the form of a star atop one of the Seven Sisters buildings in Moscow has taken a new turn: a famous Ukrainian roofer nicknamed Mustang Wanted has come forth admitting he was the one who turned the star yellow and blue, and hoisted a Ukrainian flag atop the building.
Слава Україні! #SaveSavchenko pic.twitter.com/IoWLNLJcOp
— Гришка (@MustangWanted8) August 22, 2014
Glory to Ukraine! #SaveSavchenko
Mustang Wanted (whose real name is Grigory) allegedly contacted the Russian LifeNews channel and sold them his video and photo containing proof of him climbing atop the building. Although they agreed to buy the content in order to have the exclusive scoop, hours later Mustang published one of the photos on his Facebook page for all to see (no video has been posted yet, although HromadskeTV has a few other images). He also attached a lengthy explanation in which he admitted his role.
Screenshot of the photo proof from Mustang Wanted's Facebook page.
Я и есть тот самый человек, который в порыве искренних патриотических чувств забрался на крышу высотки на Котельнической набережной, и перекрасил украшающую ее звезду в цвета нашего родного украинского флага, а затем там же поднял флаг независимой Украины, о чем у меня имеются фото и видео доказательства.
I am that very person who, guided by sincere patriotic feelings climbed atop the high-rise roof on Kotelnicheskaya embankment and painted the star adorning it with the colors of our dear Ukrainian flag. I then also raised the flag of independent Ukraine, for which I have photo and video proof.
LifeNews, incensed at losing its exclusive story, said they would make sure Mustang returned the money, according to its director Aram Gabrelyan on Twitter.
@KSHN @pruzavin Арам Ашотович как раз видео и фото купил. Только мустанг оказался сивым мерином и выложил проданный им эксклюзив в фейсбук.
— АрамАшотыч (@AramAshotich) August 22, 2014
Aram Ashotovych did buy the video and the photo. Only the Mustang proved to be a jackass and posted his exclusives sold to us to Facebook.
@pruzavin @kshn Вернет в десять раз больше.
— АрамАшотыч (@AramAshotich) August 22, 2014
He'll return ten times [what we paid].
In his Facebook post Mustang Wanted acknowledged he was the offender and asked for the release of the four citizens who were earlier held on suspicion of hooliganism. He also said he was ready to appear in the Russian court instead of them, but only if Russia agreed to release the pilot Nadia Savchenko, who Mustang said was “innocent.”
Признаю себя виновным в «хулиганстве» и готов предстать перед этим самым судом в обмен на освобождение прекрасной смелой украинской девушки – Надежды Савченко.
Она точно ни в чем невиновна, а я-то хоть звезду покрасил
I recognise myself guilty of “hooliganism” and am ready to face the same court in exchange for the release of the amazing, brave Ukrainian woman–Nadezhda Savchenko.
She's definitely not guilty of anything, I at least painted the star.
For now it remains unclear what the Russian authorities will do with this shocking revelation, and whether the four suspects, who are now under house arrest, will be released. But it's clear the story of the painted star is not over yet. In fact, it just got that much more interesting.