Cultural preservationists are reported to be furious over news that Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that could lead to the destruction of the Central House of Artists. The historic building currently houses the Tretyakov Gallery, which includes works by masters such as Malevich and Kandinsky and draws almost two million visitors a year.

The edict, which was issued in late November but just made public this week, calls for the “integrated development” of the property by the city government, which Central House director Vasily Bychkov says is a “green light” to tear down the building couched in the language of bureaucracy. Putin has not commented on the claims of critics.

Yelena Baturina, a billionaire real estate developer who is also the wife of Moscow’s mayor, is said to have designs on the space, having released a proposal to develop on the site an entertainment complex designed by Norman Foster that would feature shops, a hotel, dining establishments, and a museum.

Bychkov says that he will fight the decree but that he expects a difficult battle. Past attempts to save buildings in Moscow have “shown that it’s senseless to organize campaigns within Russia,” he said in a written statement. This time, he says, “We would like to involve the international art community. This won’t be a political discussion, but an ethical, professional, and artistic one.”

Read more at the New York Times.