LONDON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Russian officials reportedly are threatening to withhold, for security reasons, works of art set to go on display at a Royal Academy exhibition in London.
"From Russia: French and Russian Master Paintings," an exhibit of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art that debuted in Germany in September, includes works from the collections of Russia's the Hermitage, State Russian Museum, State Pushkin Museum and Tretyakov Gallery, Der Spiegel reported.
Some of the masterpieces were confiscated from wealthy collectors by the Bolsheviks during 1917's Russian Revolution.
Russia wants to be sure its treasures will be returned to it when the exhibit is over.
"Some persons who say they are the heirs of the original owners have shown a desire to claim their rights," a representative at the Russian Embassy in London told Spiegel Online. "The concern is about legal guarantees of seizure of artworks."
Russia is also reportedly worried that companies with legal claims against it will attempt to have the artwork seized as assets in connection with debt recovery lawsuits.
"On the 7th of January we'll put a law in place so the Russians have a belts-and-braces guarantee that the artwork will be covered," Department of Culture spokeswoman Fiona Cameron told Der Spiegel.
