Source: United Press International Soviet art vandalized, Hermitage museum chief calls for more protection ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Aug. 20 (UPI) — Mikhail Piotrovsky, the head of Russia’s State Hermitage Museum, denounced the destruction of a renowned Soviet artist’s sculptures by militant Orthodox activists. In an open letter published on the museum’s web site Monday, he called for legislation to protect cultural institutions from such attacks. Piotrovksy proposed that Russia’s museums must “immediately organize in-house training on protecting the state of their exhibitions,” as reported by The Art Newspaper. Piotrovksy underscored that the recent attack is “a new provocation against the…