Last standing Lenin statue removed in Ukraine

(MENAFN) Ukrainian authorities have removed what is believed to be the last remaining statue of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, as part of the country’s ongoing campaign to erase remnants of its communist past and distance itself from Russian influence.

The statue, located in the village of Rudkovtsy in the western Khmelnytskyi Region, was dismantled by local utility workers at the request of the activist group “Decolonization. Ukraine.” The organization, which advocates for the removal of Soviet and Russian symbols, confirmed the statue’s removal in a Telegram post, describing it as the final known Lenin monument in Ukraine.

According to a letter from local officials shared by the group, the statue remnants were transported to a landfill. Prior to its removal, photos showed the monument in a severely deteriorated state, with its facial features barely visible.

At the time of Ukraine’s independence in 1991, around 5,500 Lenin statues existed throughout the country. The majority were removed following the 2015 decommunization laws, which banned communist symbols, outlawed the Communist Party, and mandated the renaming of Soviet-linked streets and towns.

Although the laws also denounced Nazism, Russia has criticized Kiev for allegedly tolerating far-right ideologies, claiming the legislation primarily targets symbols reflecting Ukraine’s shared past with Russia.

Commenting on the latest removal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine has become known for "its war on monuments," adding that Kiev is leading Europe in this regard and that the campaign tarnishes the image of the Ukrainian government.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously argued that Ukraine was largely a Soviet creation, formed by carving out historic Russian lands during the Bolshevik era.

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