Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Saturday the proposal to replace the long-empty pedestal of the toppled Lenin monument in Kyiv with a statue of Ivan Mazepa, a revered Cossack leader. This announcement came during a speech on Ukraine's Constitution Day at the historic Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
Historical Context of the Lenin Monument
The original Lenin statue, a 12-foot-tall red quartzite sculpture, was erected at a major intersection in Kyiv and stood for nearly 60 years until it was toppled in 2013 during the Euromaidan Uprising. The protest began after then-president Viktor Yanukovych rejected an agreement with the European Union, leading to a shift in Ukraine's political landscape.
In the wake of the uprising, the Ukrainian government banned the display of Soviet symbols, resulting in the removal of all 5,500 Lenin statues that existed in Ukraine in 1991.
Proposal for Ivan Mazepa's Monument
During his speech, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of recognizing Ivan Mazepa, who led the Cossack state from 1687 to 1709, as a national hero. He stated, "For centuries, Russia has smeared his name, striving to make Ukrainians view their own history through the eyes of others, convincing our people that Mazepa was a traitor. This lie has failed. Forever."
