In Odessa, Ukraine, the force really has been awakened with a statue of Vladimir Lenin being converted into one of the dark lord himself, Darth Vader.

While the rest of the world was trying to figure out what The Force Awakens trailer reveals about the new film, artist Alexander Milov – whose work appeared at Burning Man this year – was busy creating what he claims is the world’s first-ever monument to Vader (the Sith lord formerly known as Anakin Skywalker).

Milov transformed the Soviet-era statue after new legislation (the “decommunisation” laws) came into force in Ukraine, which demands all remnants and symbols of the country’s communist past be taken down.

Fittingly, the statue will radiate a force (the head contains a Wi-Fi hotspot) and Milov hopes that the monument will attract Star Wars fans from around the world.

Read the article “The Force Awakens (in Ukraine): Darth Vader Statue Replaces Lenin Monument” on theguardian.com.