The State Hermitage Museum announces:

15 July 2009, the press service of the State Hermitage spread the message:

7 July 2009, the following message was published on the website of St Petersburg Department of All-Russian Society of Protection of Monuments of History and Culture: "On the wall of the General Staff building facing the Moika there appeared a vertical crack to the bottom. Such is one of the reconstruction results of the monument, of one of the most glorious buildings of St Petersburg."

The State Hermitage informs that the crack on the building is not new. It was revealed already in 2003 and began to widen in 2004 when demolishing of the building standing by its side and construction of a new one with underground parking had started. For this purpose great quantity of concrete was pumped into the basement of the building under construction. That concrete also got under the adjacent bulk of the General Staff building what in its turn caused upheaval and widening of the crack.

In 2005 at the first stage of projecting Erkon Company recorded this crack during examination of the Eastern Wing of the General Staff building. From that time the crack is under constant observation with the help of special displacement indicators. At the moment it is in an absolutely solid state and does not constitute a threat, and corresponding decisions of its 'treatment' are reflected in project documentation.

The State Hermitage notes with satisfaction that a whole range of mass media that covered the topic incorrectly as well as representatives of Zhivoj Gorod association presented their apologies to the museum and the general contractor Intarsiya Ltd.