Ukrainians consider Alexander Pushkin a symbol of Russian influence, which is why more than 30 monuments to the poet have already been demolished across the country, The Guardian reported. The author of the article notes that within the framework of the new law on decolonization other monuments may disappear, and renaming of streets is also possible, as only Shevchenko and Gagarin were more popular than Pushkin in Ukraine.
The sculpture of Alexander Pushkin in the centre of Kiev is still in its place, The Guardian notes, although it is not being protected by sandbags, as other more favoured monuments in Kiev. Meanwhile, the monument to Russia’s national poet is covered in graffiti: “What did he do for Ukraine?” and “Soldier of another culture”.
More than 30 monuments to Pushkin have been demolished in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s special military operation. The author of the article notes that for representatives of Western culture such hatred for the poet who died almost 200 years ago seems overwhelming. And in the West, they rather do not read Pushkin himself, but are familiar with his interpretations: ballets and operas by Tchaikovsky, including “Eugene Onegin” and “The Queen of Spades.
Many Ukrainian experts argue that the works of the Russian classics reflect the values of the Russian Empire, which have now been adopted by Russia. “If you are looking for the roots of Russia’s violence against its neighbours, its desire to erase their history and its rejection of the ideas of liberal democracy, you will find some answers in the pages of Pushkin, Lermontov and Dostoyevsky,” wrote Ukrainian philosopher Vladimir Yermolenko recently.
For many Ukrainians, the “Pushkin problem” is related not so much to the poet’s work as to the fact that he has become a symbol of Russian culture and influence. Thus, according to a study five years ago, 594 streets in Ukraine are named after the poet. Only Ukraine’s national poet Taras Shevchenko and Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin have more. He is ahead of leading Ukrainian literary figures such as Lesya Ukrainka and Ivan Franko.
“Many Ukrainian ‘intellectuals’ are looking forward to the time when Pushkin can be seen as a part of world literature rather than the dominant cultural force influencing every town, city and village,” writes The Guardian.
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