A Soviet-era statute which once represented friendship between Ukraine and Russia has now been brought down in Kyiv. According to BBC, the huge statue in the centre of the Ukrainian capital was ordered to be removed by the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko, who noted that “Russia destroyed the normal life of millions of Ukrainians and destroyed the peace in Europe”.
You don't kill your brother.
— Klitschko (@Klitschko) April 26, 2022
You don't rape your sister.
You don't destroy your friend's country.
That's why today we dismantled this monument once created as a sign of friendship between Ukraine and Russia.#FreeUkraine #WeAreAllUkrainians #StandWithUkraine #StopTheWar pic.twitter.com/HQI0W9XNS8
The 27-feet bronze statue depicted a Ukrainian and Russian worker on a plinth, holding aloft together a Soviet order of friendship. The statute was located underneath giant titanium “People's Friendship Arch” which was erected in 1982 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Soviet Union.
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Several internet users shared the image of the torn down statue and stated that it now symbolises the “true friendship” between the two nations. “No more ‘friendship,'” wrote another.
No more “friendship”.#Kyiv pic.twitter.com/opdFrXyZO6
— Kira Rudik (@kiraincongress) April 26, 2022
The Kyiv statue of friendship between Ukraine & Russia now symbolizes the true relationship between the two states. pic.twitter.com/DUag1yjiCx
— John Mikal Kvistad, PhD (@KvistadMikal) April 26, 2022
Under the arch of Friendship of Peoples in Kyiv, the dismantling of a scoop statue began #Ukraine #UkraineWar #Russia #UkraineInvasion pic.twitter.com/z8sS1nG2TQ
— Ukraine War SitRep ???????? (@UKRWarSitRep) April 26, 2022
Citing AFP, Kyiv Post reported that Mr Klitschko in a statement said that it took some effort to bring down the Soviet sculpture of the two workers, but it was completely dismantled on Tuesday. Previously, the Kyiv mayor had also explained the decision citing what he called Moscow's “barbaric desire to destroy our state and peaceful Ukrainians”.
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"The Russian worker's head came off when they tried to lift the sculpture," Mr Klitschko recounted. He added that workers had initially struggled but ultimately succeeded in removing the large figures.
Now, according to the mayor, the giant arch above the statue would be renamed and illuminated with the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Mr Klitschko proposed a new title - "The Ukrainian people's freedom arch".
