Have you ever found the key to sneaking into somewhere out of bounds is a cheeky “donation”? Even if it’s just a few pounds?

That’s what Jake Ritari, an engineer from Washington state, discovered when he took a chance with a security guard at the Mother Motherland statue in Kiev, after finding the route to the top of the monument was closed.

The 62-metre-high statue is an important feature of the Ukrainian capital's skyline. And Ritari discovered it looks pretty cool from the inside, too.

Jake climbs up a ladder inside one of the statue's arms (Jake Ritari)

​A series of photos he took after bribing his way into the monument show him climbing a ladder inside one of its arms, and the view from a secure area behind the shield.

Ritari got inside the statue after taking a punt and offering a security guard 200 Ukrainian hryvnia (£3), the cost of two tickets when the monument is open. “I don’t know if it’s technically a bribe at that point, but I paid the guy directly instead of paying at the front desk,” Ritari said.

View from the top: behind the shield of the Mother Motherland statue (Jake Ritari)

After a short climb he was out in the open and seeing Kiev from behind the statue’s giant metal shield – £3 well spent.

The Mother Motherland statue in all her glory (Jake Ritari)