Ukraine made a symbolic move on Sunday by replacing the Soviet emblem with the country’s coat of arms on one of its most recognizable landmarks. This action represents a larger effort in Ukraine to reclaim its cultural identity and distance itself from its Soviet past following Russia’s ongoing invasion. The monument, known as the Mother Ukraine, was erected in 1981 and stood on the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kyiv, facing east toward Moscow. It was part of a larger complex that housed Ukraine’s national World War II museum, as reported by the AP.
Standing at 200 feet tall, the Mother Ukraine statue was created in the image of a fearless female warrior and previously held a sword and shield emblazoned with the Soviet coat of arms. However, workers have now replaced it with the Ukrainian tryzub, a three-pronged trident that became the official coat of arms for independent Ukraine in 1992. The process of removing the old coat of arms began in late July, but due to air raids and poor weather conditions, it faced delays. The completed sculpture will be officially unveiled on August 24th, which is Ukrainian Independence Day. A video of the work can be found here, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.
This change is part of a long-standing effort in Ukraine to remove traces of Soviet and Russian influence from public spaces. This includes the removal of monuments and the renaming of streets to honor Ukrainian artists, poets, and soldiers instead of Russian cultural figures. Most Soviet symbols were banned by Ukraine’s parliament in 2015, but World War II monuments like the Mother Ukraine statue were exempt. However, the Soviet coat of arms has now been replaced to symbolize Ukraine’s independence and freedom from the totalitarian regime that caused immense destruction and loss of life. The World War II museum in Ukraine released a statement expressing their disassociation from the “post-Soviet space” and reaffirming Ukraine’s status as a sovereign and independent nation, according to the AP.
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