In line with Kyiv’s ongoing decommunization campaign, Ukraine’s capital is pressing forward with the removal of Soviet symbols from the monument dedicated to the “city-hero Kyiv,” located in Halytska Square (formerly Victory Square). The process commenced on the morning of November 4, as reported by a correspondent from Suspilne.
The elimination of Soviet symbolism from the monument has garnered favorable responses from individuals present at Galician Square, Suspilne reports. Tamara Maksymova, a pensioner, lauds the cleansing of the memorial from Soviet emblems: “I’m overjoyed. It was high time to remove those Soviet pentagonal stars from here.”
Maksymova considers this a fitting decision, highlighting that Ukraine has its own nation with its own memorials and observances that should be preserved. She asserts, “In Ukraine, we have our own state, complete with our own monuments and celebrations, and they should be upheld.”
Maksymova also believes that this move aligns with the concept of derussification and decommunization in Ukraine, especially considering the renaming of Galician Square from Victory Square.
Decommunization and derussification endeavors have been actively pursued in Kyiv. Prominent changes include the removal of Soviet stars from monument panels, altering the inscription from “1941” to “1939” to reflect the start of World War II, renaming specific squares and monuments, and the eradication of Soviet symbols. These efforts form part of a comprehensive strategy to eradicate symbols connected with the Soviet Union and Russia in Kyiv, seeking to assert Ukraine’s independence and national identity.
Whose names disappeared from the map of Ukraine? Interactive decommunization map
