Ukraine's Bold Statement: Motherland Monument Embraces National Trident, Sheds Soviet Past

In a bold move to break free from its Soviet past and assert its national identity, Ukraine has replaced old Soviet symbols with its national trident on the iconic Motherland monument in Kyiv. The steel statue of a female warrior, standing at a towering height of 62 meters (200 feet), was built in 1981 on the right bank of the Dnipro River.

The statue, with a stern gaze towards the east, holds a sword and shield, with the shield originally bearing the Soviet Union's coat of arms. The process of replacing the Soviet symbols began in late July when workers used cables to lower dismantled parts of the coat of arms. On Sunday, a 500-kg (1,100-lb) trident was installed on the shield.

However, adverse weather and an air attack warning for the capital prevented the completion of the work on that day. Despite the setback, the installation of the national trident marks a significant step in Ukraine's movement to decommunize and shed memories of the Soviet Union.

This cultural shift towards a stronger Ukrainian self-identity has been accompanied by a political tilt towards the West, which has angered Russian President Vladimir Putin and served as a justification for Russia's invasion. The invasion is seen by Kyiv as an imperial mission to recreate the Soviet Union.

Following the Maidan Revolution of 2014, which saw the removal of statues of Vladimir Lenin and a demand for closer ties with the European Union, Ukraine outlawed Soviet symbols in 2015. This came after Russia's annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist proxies in Ukraine's east.

In response, Ukraine has embarked on a campaign to remove and deface hundreds of statues of Russian poets and Soviet generals, covering up or removing public art and propaganda murals.

Renaming streets, towns, and villages has also been a major part of the decommunization process, with the aim of associating them with national history, prominent Ukrainians, or friends of the Ukrainian people such as the late US Senator John McCain.

The replacement of the Soviet symbols on the Motherland monument with Ukraine's trident coat of arms not only symbolizes the country's break from its Soviet past but also asserts its national identity in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.

It serves as a clear message that Ukraine is determined to forge its own path and strengthen its ties with the West. The monument, standing tall and resolute, now represents the spirit and resilience of the Ukrainian people in their pursuit of freedom, independence, and self-determination.