Kyiv Mayor orders demolition of Soviet-Era statue symbolic of Russia-Ukraine friendship

On April 26, the mayor of Kyiv ordered the demolition of a Soviet-era monument commemorating Ukraine's ties with Russia. The eight-metre-tall bronze statue depicted an Ukrainian and a Russian worker on a plinth, each carrying a Soviet order of brotherhood.

It was a symbolic gift from the Soviet Union to honour Ukraine's reunification with Russia, but as tensions between the two countries increased, it became increasingly controversial. The memorial stood directly beneath the still-standing titanium 'People's Friendship Arch.' The 50-meter-long rainbow-shaped tower was created in 1982 to commemorate the Soviet Union's 60th anniversary.

"We now see what this ‘friendship’ is – destruction of Ukrainian cities... killing tens of thousands of peaceful people," Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said, explaining why he decided to remove the bronze statue, BBC reported. According to the media agency, he further added, "I am convinced such a monument has an entirely different meaning now. This place had a name, the place of friendship between Russia and Ukraine. It’s no friendship anymore."

He also told the BBC that Russia's two-month unjustified onslaught on the neighbouring country ruined the regular lives of millions of Ukrainians and destroyed the peace in Europe. Notably, the Russian worker's head was removed first, and it dropped to the ground to the delight of the spectators. According to several media reports, the complete statue was then raised by a crane and lowered to the ground while 100 people yelled chants such as "glory to Ukraine."

Russia-Ukraine War

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February, more than five million people have fled the country. When Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014, the metal arch above the statue was changed. Activists painted a crack on it to represent how Russia's actions had shattered their relationship. Since then, Kyiv has chosen to rename the rainbow-shaped arch and paint it in the Ukrainian flag's colours.

The Kyiv City Council also notified a Ukrainian newspaper that streets associated with Russia and its close ally Belarus would be renamed. Moreover, the capital city is now widely known as Kyiv, rather than Kiev, because the latter was based on a historical Russian derivation. This change was made after Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

Image: Twitter/@4nnchor