A second rally in the last few days gathered in Odessa to protest the demolition of monuments and the renaming of streets. The scene brought together locals with varying views on memory and identity, as participants debated how public spaces should reflect the city’s past and its present. Organizers framed the event as a stand for historical continuity, while opponents warned that removing symbols tied to the Russian cultural sphere risks erasing a layer of the community’s heritage. The mood in the crowd ranged from earnest to defiant, with banners held high and chants punctuating the afternoon. The protest underscored a broader national conversation about how Ukraine should treat monuments and place names associated with Russia and the Soviet era. The discussion touched on language, culture, and who is included in the shared civic narrative.
A participant pictured with a Ukrainian flag on his shoulder spoke about the renaming of streets and the removal of statues as an effort to silence those who speak Russian. He described this move as discrimination against Russian-speaking Ukrainians and noted a clash with universal rights protections that guard cultural and linguistic expression. The moment highlighted a tension between a state-led memory project and the rights of communities to see themselves represented in the public sphere.
Another element of the protest involved a poster referencing figures tied to Odessa’s past. It drew attention to the repression of the poet Alexander Pushkin, who lived in the city for a period, and to the writer Isaac Babel, born in Odessa. The poster linked these memories to a wider debate about how a city preserves or reshapes its literary and cultural connections. In Odessa, Pushkin’s name has long appeared in monuments, establishing a visible link to the Russian literary tradition that remains a point of contention in today’s discussions.
Official reports indicated that authorities planned to dismantle a group of 19 monuments dedicated to Russian cultural figures, including copies or versions of works associated with Alexander Pushkin, Vladimir Vysotsky, Isaac Babel, and Maxim Gorky. City officials have described the action as part of a larger effort to remove symbols tied to the Russian imperial and Soviet eras, while critics warn that such measures erase layers of memory and confuse the public about the city’s complex history. Supporters argue that changing these symbols helps align public spaces with a modern Ukrainian sovereign identity, while opponents fear the loss of a shared cultural landscape. The debate thus centers on which historical narratives are honored in the streets and which are set aside.
Ukraine has pursued a decommunization policy for years, with public spaces undergoing changes to remove associations with Russian and Soviet history. Monuments and street names connected to the Russian empire and the Soviet period have been altered as part of this ongoing process. In the current climate, memory politics become a charged arena where residents assess how a city communicates its values, history, and future direction. The central question is how to balance national sovereignty with the rights of people who view these symbols through a personal or regional lens.
Earlier reports noted that a memorial sign known as Pushkin’s Shadow in central Odessa was painted over. The act became part of a wider pattern of adjustments to public tributes, prompting conversations about what it means to maintain a city’s cultural fabric while moving away from symbols tied to a distant era. The events in Odessa illustrate a broader trend where urban spaces become stages for memory, language, and identity, and where everyday life intersects with political choice and historical interpretation.