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Ukraine Replaces Soviet-era Hammer & Sickle On Motherland Monument

The monument, a 62-metre tall (200ft) steel statue of a female warrior overlooks Kyiv.

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...

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