Ukraine's own national trident replaces the old Soviet hammer and sickle from the communist era. Truly, their Statue of Liberty.
Symbolism matters.
Source: The Guardian
Ukraine’s national trident was installed on a monument depicting the Motherland in Kyiv on Sunday, replacing Soviet symbols in one of the most visible examples of breaking away from the past and Moscow’s influence.
The monument, a 62-metre tall (200ft) steel statue of a female warrior, was built in 1981 on top of a hill on the right bank of the Dnipro River. Gazing sternly east, the figure holds a sword in her right hand and a shield in her left.
Originally, the shield bore the Soviet Union’s coat of arms – a crossed hammer and sickle surrounded by ears of wheat.
In late July, workers removed parts of the coat of arms. On Saturday, they began installing a trident on the shield, but were unable to complete the work due to adverse weather and an air attack warning for the capital.
The move has its roots in a movement to decommunize – or shed memories of the former Soviet Union – which Ukraine has stepped up since Russia’s all-out invasion last year.
And to give you an idea how tall this is...
