NEW YORK (Sputnik) — The icons are being returned at the request of the Russian Ministry of Culture, which seeks all Russian icons over 100 years be given a temporary export status and returned to Russia on a predetermined date for inspection.
"The Museum of Russian Icons is prepared to send the 16 icons back to Russia for inspection. They have been appropriately packaged and are ready for transport," Russell said on Friday.
The rare icons in question were legally purchased in 2010 by museum founder Gordon Lankton and were brought to the United States as part of a temporary exhibit, Russell added.
To date, more than 130,000 visitors in Massachusetts and Virginia have viewed the icons over the past five years.
The museum is hopeful the icons will be returned to the United States for display after they are inspected.
