Ukraine Replaces the Soviet Symbol on the Motherland Monument

Ukraine has replaced the Soviet emblem on one of Kyiv’s most prominent monuments with its own coat of arms, part of a broader push since the full-scale invasion to stamp out tributes to Russian power.

The Motherland Monument — a 335-foot-tall stainless steel behemoth towering over Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital — was designed to assert Soviet invincibility. Unveiled in 1981, the monument is a figure of a woman raising a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left. The shield was emblazoned with the Soviet hammer and sickle.

Workers in Kyiv started removing the Soviet emblem from the shield of the monument late last month. On Sunday, the Ukrainian trident was mounted to replace it.