Ukraine Dismantles Last Remaining Monument to Lenin, Kremlin Reacts

The final monument to Vladimir Lenin in Ukraine has been officially dismantled in the village of Rudkivtsi.

The statue was removed following a formal appeal to local authorities. The head of the neighboring village of Novaya Ushytsia, Anatoliy Oleynyk, confirmed that the demolition was carried out by a municipal utility service, which transported the statue to its premises, Ukrainian civil organization Decolonization. Ukraine said on its Telegram channel.

Ukraine’s long-running decommunization campaign has seen thousands of Soviet-era symbols, names, and monuments removed across the country. The removal of the last Lenin statue marks the end of an era that many Ukrainians associate with repression and occupation.

Meanwhile, reactions from Russia were swift. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on the event, stating that Ukraine is now “well known for its fight against monuments” and is attempting to “lead all of Europe” in this effort.

“Ukraine is now well known for its fight against monuments, trying to get ahead of all Europe in this respect,” said Dmitry Peskov. “This struggle against cultural heritage cannot be seen in a positive light and certainly does not flatter the Ukrainian authorities.”

In a related commentary, Oleg Soskin, a former adviser to ex-President Leonid Kuchma, criticized the current Ukrainian leadership, claiming that Soviet officials were more competent in state governance than today’s Kyiv politicians. He described President Volodymyr Zelensky as “theatrical” and “provincial.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin also recently weighed in on the collapse of the Soviet Union, asserting that its dissolution stemmed from a desire among Soviet leaders to be part of Western civilization. He emphasized that Europe never intended to take Russian interests into account after the USSR’s fall.