In Kyiv, the dismantling of the monument to General Nikolai Vatutin has begun, a step reported by RT. The news notes that the process started while Vatutin is remembered for leading the liberation of the Ukrainian capital from Nazi occupation. The account places Kyiv’s liberation in November 1943 under his command, a historical moment that remains central to veterans of the war and to the narrative of wartime heroism in the region.
On the same day, the monument to the Soviet test pilot Valery Chkalov near Kyiv was also taken down. The precise timing and sequence of these dismantling efforts reflect ongoing reassessments of commemorations tied to the Second World War and the Soviet era in modern Ukraine.
The conversation surrounding these removals has featured public figures from Ukrainian politics. Maxim Buzhansky, a deputy in the Verkhovna Rada representing the Servant of the People faction, voiced opposition to the demolition of the Vatutin monument. He argued that while the physical monument may be removed, the memory of the Soviet troops who contributed to Kyiv’s liberation cannot be erased, stressing that historical events cannot be rewritten by deleting statues. Buzhansky also noted the aesthetic value of the Vatutin monument and expressed sorrow that it is no longer visible due to the current restrictions around the city government area.
Earlier remarks from Dmitry Belotserkovets, an adviser to Kyiv’s mayor Vitali Klitschko, indicated that the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine had approved the dismantling of the Vatutin monument. This sequence of official actions and public commentary illustrates a broader policy and public discourse about how history is commemorated in modern Kyiv and across the country.
The removals are part of a wider conversation about how postwar memory is presented in public spaces, and they come amid ongoing debates over how to balance historical acknowledgment with contemporary national narratives. Observers note that statues representing different eras of the country’s past can evoke strong emotions and divergent interpretations among residents, veterans, historians, and local officials. In Kyiv, the steps to remove these monuments signal a shift in which visible symbols of a shared wartime history are being reconsidered within the context of Ukraine’s present-day political and cultural landscape.
While supporters of the removals describe them as necessary to align public spaces with current Ukrainian identities and values, opponents warn about erasing a portion of Kyiv’s history. They call for careful, inclusive dialogue that recognizes the complex memory of the war years and the varied experiences of those who lived through them. The unfolding situation is being observed closely by residents, scholars, and international observers who track how Ukraine negotiates memory, national narrative, and the representation of its past in the public realm.
As the city continues to navigate these changes, officials emphasize that the decision to dismantle monuments is part of a broader plan to redefine urban spaces in a way that reflects present-day Ukraine while acknowledging the historical context that shaped the nation. The discussions around Vatutin and Chkalov echo a wider reassessment of Soviet-era symbols and their place in today’s Kyiv, a process that remains dynamic and contested among various segments of society.