COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Hans Christian Andersen’s famous Little Mermaid statue, one of Copenhagen’s biggest tourist attractions, has been vandalized, with the colors of the Russian flag painted on the rock on which it sits, reports a newspaper on Thursday.

The often-attacked 1.65-metre-tall bronze work of art sits at the entrance to Copenhagen Harbour.

It was not known when the vandalism occurred. The rock was painted with white, blue, and red stripes. No one has taken responsibility for the fact.

The statue was created in homage to the Danish storyteller Andersen.

It has long been a popular target for vandals, who previously blew the mermaid from its perch, decapitated it, and painted it over.

The bronze is based on the mermaid daughter of a mythical sea king who, according to Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, falls in love with a prince and longs to become a human.