MOSCOW (AP) — Russian activists and political commentators have criticized Moscow authorities over the late-night destruction of kiosks around the city.

About half of Moscow's 104 kiosks, which sell items from ranging from pastries and flowers to trinkets and kebabs, were flattened Monday evening. The city decided to tear them down in December, and the remaining ones will be torn down by Feb. 24, according to the Russian RIA Novosti news agency. It's unclear what will be put in their place.

Muscovites vented their displeasure with authorities on social media sites on Tuesday. They used hashtags such as "Moscow," ''apocalypse," ''demolition" and "ruin" in the captions of pictures of the newly-demolished kiosks.

Mayor Sergey Sobyanin says the owners of the now-destroyed kiosks will be rented properties elsewhere in the city.