St Petersburg, May 1 (IANS): No one knows who put it here but something rather odd has appeared in the centre of St Petersburg - A bizarre art installation made up of one word: "ZAMESTIM" ("We will replace"), media reports said.

Each letter is the first letter of an international brand that has suspended operations in Russia. Their company logos are featured, too, the BBC reported.

Z is for Zara. A is for Adidas. M means McDonald's...

Noting hundreds of international companies have pulled out of Russia in protest at the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine, the BBC said that officials here have been trying to sound upbeat, claiming that Russia will find local replacements for foreign items no longer available.

"But the disappearance of global products and services adds to Russia's growing sense of international isolation. It's a strange thing St Petersburg, after all, Emperor Peter the Great designed and built this city to make Russia feel like a part of Europe.

"Out of marshland he created a breathtakingly beautiful Russian Amsterdam or Venice, with myriad canals and stunning palaces.

"With the help of European artists and architects rose an imperial capital with a European face. Yet three centuries on, the gulf between Russia and Europe grows wider by the day," it added.