While Ukraine removes many signs of the USSR & Russian empire, there is a discussion about the fate of this monument since empress developed the port city during her reign.
Local activist Artak Hryhorian did this publicly to support a girl who a few days ago wrote on the monument “Catherine=Putin.” Police arrested him for “violation of landscaping rules.” However, many other activists have already supported him. So far, neither police nor local authorities commented on the incident.
More about symbolical decolonization in Ukraine:
Pushkin monuments disappear from Ukrainian streets following Lenin, as decolonization is underway