Ukraine Removes Tchaikovsky’s Name

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture has removed the name of celebrated Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky from the country’s National Music Academy. Tchaikovsky, who became internationally recognized in the late 19th century for his symphonic works and iconic ballets such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, is now considered by Ukrainian officials to represent a “symbol of Russian imperial policy.”

This step is part of Kiev’s wider initiative to eliminate cultural markers tied to its historical connection with Russia. Recently, the Kiev City Council approved the dismantling of 15 statues and memorials, including those honoring Kiev-born author Mikhail Bulgakov, poet Anna Akhmatova, and composer Mikhail Glinka.

In Odessa, authorities removed monuments dedicated to Russian Empress Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, and to poet Alexander Pushkin, whose statue had been recognized as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture described the renaming as part of the ongoing “process of decolonization of Ukrainian culture.”

Specialists from the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance supported the move, asserting that references to Tchaikovsky reinforce narratives of Russian dominance.

Soviet-era memorials have also been targeted. In August, the activist group Decolonization. Ukraine announced that the final remaining statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in the country had been removed with assistance from local officials in the Khmelnytskyi region.

Reacting to these developments, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that “Ukraine is now well known for its fight against monuments.”

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