Monument to Peter the Great dismantled in Poltava

A monument to Russian Emperor Peter I has been dismantled in Poltava following a decision by Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the acting mayor of the city announced.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, monuments to several Russian historical figures have been dismantled, including those of Alexander Pushkin, Prince Vorontsov, and Russian Emperor Peter the Great. These removals are part of Ukraine’s derussification efforts, aimed at distancing the country from symbols associated with Russian imperialism and aggression.

Acting Mayor Kateryna Yamshchykova said that removing the monument from public space is an important part of the state’s decolonization policy. The decision was made in accordance with current legislation and followed all necessary procedures.

“This is not an act of vandalism, but a conscious and responsible action by the community that is getting rid of Russian imperial markers,” Yamshchykova said.

“Despite different opinions and discussions, one thing unites us: Poltava is a city with a rich Ukrainian history, where imperial myths have no place! Our future belongs to Ukrainian heroes and European figures!,” she added.

According to local publication “Poltavshchyna,” the monument had been covered with black film since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

On 31 January 2025, the Ministry of Culture removed the monument from the State Register of Immovable Monuments. Last week, the city council decided to dismantle it. Local volunteers carried out the work, and now the monument will be stored in a museum collection.

The monument to Peter I was created in 1915 by architect Amandus Heinrich Adamson using funds collected by graduates of the Petrovsky Poltava Cadet Corps. Until the cadet corps was disbanded in 1919, the monument stood in its main lobby. In 1950, the monument was moved to the new Museum of the History of the Battle of Poltava.

City officials plan to further dismantle the monument at Peter I’s resting place and an information plaque on the monument to Commandant Kelin and the defenders of Poltava.

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