In an effort to "de-Russiafy" Ukrainian cities, towns, villages and small settlements, local officials are removing statues and memorials of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and renaming Russian-themed streets across the country.
The movement, dubbed "Pushkinopad," (Pushkin-fall), started in western Ukraine and has spread outward.
The city of Ternopil was first. The city council unanimously voted to remove a public statue of Pushkin, the local news channel T1 News reported.
"Russian crimes on Ukrainian soil have negated, in our minds, any importance of Russian cultural artifacts, Mayor Serhiy Nadal said. "Anything Russian will have to go."
In Uzhhorod, a bust of Pushkin also was removed, with local officials citing similar reasons as Temopil and vowing to consider renaming streets. The town of Mukachevo and the village of Zaboltiv in the Lviv region followed suit.
Officials from bigger cities in the central and eastern areas of the country have expressed support, but appear to be waiting for direction from Ukraine's parliament, something akin to four laws passed in 2015 that began the process of "decommunization and destalinization" of the country.
The law, signed by then-President Petro Poroshenko, resulted in the removal of hundreds of monuments to Soviet Union founder Vladimir Lenin, and the renaming of 51,493 streets that referenced Soviet rule over Ukraine.
The efforts to rid Ukraine of references to Russia and Soviet Union have been viciously criticized by Russian cultural, political and media figures. Three days before the start of the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a threat directly referencing these efforts.
"The Bolsheviks created the idea of Ukraine," he said. "It should be called 'Ukraine, by Lenin.' Now, they're taking down his monuments and carrying out 'decommunization.' You want 'decommunization?' We're ready to show all of you what real 'decommunization' looks like."
Despite the threat, countless communities across Ukraine have instensified their efforts.
But not every city is so enthusiastic. In the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, itself renamed from Dnipropetrovsk because of the name's reference to Russian Czar Peter I, officials are more cautious.
Someone drew the the now notorious "Z," a symbol of enthusiastic support of Russia's aggression, on the statue of Pushkin. Many understood that as a sign to follow other smaller towns and remove the statue. Nadiya Lishtva, the head of the committee for protection of culture of the local City Council, thought differently.
"The monument is, first and foremost, a brilliant work of a famous sculptor. The monument is important to locals and it even survived the Second World War. Yes, it's a monument to Pushkin. But, until there's proper 'derussification' legislation, do not touch our monuments. Have paint? Paint a 'Z' on your forehead. Real Ukrainians are helping the army and refugees, not this crap," she wrote on Facebook.
In the bigger city of Zhytomyr, local officials are similarly hesitant, encouraging residents to expend their energies on more pressing issues of volunteering and supporting the army. The issue, however, will be decided by a city-wide referendum.
"It's war outside," Mayor Serhii Sukhomlyn said. "We're focusing on the economy, security, roads, the functioning of hospitals and humanitarian aid. The question of Pushkin can definitely wait."
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