Ukraine has dismantled a monument to Mikhail Bulgakov in Kiev as part of its campaign to remove symbols associated with Russian imperial culture. The move, which follows a city council vote, has sparked debate over how to treat cultural figures with complex ties to Russian and Ukrainian history.
The removal of the Bulgakov monument highlights Ukraine's ongoing efforts to redefine its national identity by distancing itself from Russian cultural and historical influences, a process that has become more pronounced since the full-scale invasion by Russia.
A monument to Mikhail Bulgakov, a writer born in Kiev who wrote primarily in Russian, has been dismantled in the Ukrainian capital. This action is part of Ukraine's ongoing effort to remove symbols and heritage sites connected to its Russian and Soviet past, which Kiev classifies as 'Russian imperial culture.' The statue, located near the Bulgakov Museum, was removed after the Kiev City Council voted in December to take down 15 such objects. Bulgakov, born in 1891, is renowned for works like 'The Master and Margarita' and 'The White Guard.' Ukraine's Institute of National Memory has labeled Bulgakov a symbol of 'Russian imperial policy,' citing his worldview as 'imperialist' and 'ardently Ukrainophobe.' The dismantling has prompted discussions about how Ukraine should handle cultural figures with complex ties to both Russian and Ukrainian history, with critics arguing that erasing such figures could lead to a simplification of Ukraine's past. This move aligns with Ukraine's broader 'decommunization' laws, which have accelerated since 2014 and intensified after 2022, expanding beyond Soviet monuments to include writers and cultural figures linked to Russia. Moscow has condemned these actions, accusing Kiev of violating international norms and attempting to rewrite history.