Following Moscow’s invasion, Ukrainian authorities are removing monuments linked to Russia and renaming some streets as part of a process of “de-Russification”
The city council of Odessa voted today in favor of… removing the statue of the empress of Russia, Catherine the Great, which is located in the central square of the city and was recently vandalized with red paint at least twice.
The statue of the city’s founder has been repeatedly vandalized since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, which has resulted in many Ukrainians rejecting their country’s historic ties to Moscow.
The city council decided to remove the statue – officially known as the Monument to the Founders of Odessa. The statue will be moved to a temporary storage area and then to a museum, according to the Suspilne news network.
Odesa’s council has voted today to remove the city’s giant statue of Russian empress Catherine The Great – viewed by many as the city’s founder – and to move it to a park dedicated to the “Soviet past” https://t.co/xcLBN2pS4v
— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) November 30, 2022
The statue of Catherine the Great, originally erected in 1900, was dismantled in 1920 under Soviet leadership, but was restored by Ukrainian authorities in 2007.
Following Moscow’s invasion, Ukrainian authorities are removing monuments associated with Russia and changing the names of some Russian-related streets as part of a process of “de-Russification”.
A small majority of Odessa residents had already voted — in an online process organized by the city’s authorities — to remove the statue of Catherine the Great, empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796.
Several petitions had also been submitted to president Volodymyr Zelensky, asking for the statue’s removal, but only local authorities were empowered to make that decision.
Founded by Catherine the Great in the late 18th century, Odessa was a city of strategic importance to Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, but it has long been known as a melting pot of cultures.
Since Ukraine gained independence in 1991, its port has been an important part of the Ukrainian economy and has taken repeated hits during the Russian war in Ukraine.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
