Russia Turns to AI to Protect Historic Monuments
St. Petersburg is testing an intelligent video surveillance system that monitors and safeguards the city’s most famous landmarks in real time.
Authorities in St. Petersburg have launched a pilot AI-powered monitoring system designed to analyze activity around the city’s historical and cultural monuments, according to the Committee for Informatization and Communications.
The system is currently operating in test mode, focusing on landmarks that require special protection — including the Bronze Horseman, the Monument to Marshal Georgy Zhukov, and the Lions sculpture ensemble.
Smart Surveillance With Instant Alerts
The AI system continuously analyzes video feeds and automatically alerts law enforcement to potential vandalism or other violations. Near the Zhukov monument, the city has also installed public warning speakers that inform offenders in real time about the illegality of their actions.
According to Yulia Smirnova, chair of the city’s Committee for Informatization and Communications, “the implementation of an intelligent video surveillance system will make it possible to collect and systematize information about the current state of cultural heritage sites and increase the effectiveness of anti-vandalism measures.”
If the pilot proves successful, the AI network will expand to cover all major historical landmarks in St. Petersburg, turning the cultural capital of Russia into one of the first cities in the world to use artificial intelligence for heritage protection.
