The monument “Together Forever” is a sculptural group installed on the Yalta embankment in 2024. It is dedicated to a dog named Mukhtar, often called the “Yalta Hachiko,” and his deceased owner. The work was created by sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov. For more than 12 years, Mukhtar returned to the embankment and gazed at the sea, waiting for his owner, who is believed to have drowned during a storm.

Later, the dog befriended a street musician, Viktor Malinovsky, and even “sang along” during performances. Mukhtar passed away in August 2023. After his death, local residents petitioned authorities to commemorate him. Upon learning the story, Rukavishnikov personally proposed creating the monument. The sculptor aimed to make the bronze dog as lifelike as possible, while the owner’s figure remains a collective image, as his identity was never established.

Together forever