A monument to the commander-in-chief of Soviet troops during the liberation of Kiev from Nazi troops in World War II has been removed from its place in the Ukrainian capital, and several “Soviet” names of streets and squares were changed, reports DPA.
After Russian troops invaded Ukrainian territory on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian government accelerated the removal of monuments to the two countries’ shared Soviet past.
Ukraine was a member of the USSR until its independence in 1991. Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, Soviet-era monuments began to be removed and streets renamed as part of the “decommunization” and “derussification” of Ukraine.
Statue to brilliant general Vatutin in Kiev was removed today. The guy liberated Kiev from Nazis, so ofcourse he’s got to go pic.twitter.com/Q6HsAJDXRU
— Artyom Aleksandrov (@artyomiscool) February 9, 2023
The monument to General Nikolai Vatutin was removed from the place where it had been since 1948. – Mariinsky Park. The statue was moved to the Aviation Museum.
In addition, more than 30 streets and squares have been renamed. Victory Square, whose name commemorated the victory of the Soviet forces in the Second World War, has returned to its historical name – Galitsky Square, Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced. “Victory Avenue” was renamed “Brestki Avenue”.
Kiev was liberated by the First Ukrainian Front of the Red Army on 6 November 1943 after a two-year Nazi occupation.
Kiev removed a Soviet monument – a symbol of friendship with Russia
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