Ukraine's Monument in Kyiv Gets a Modern Makeover with Trident Symbol

Ukraine has replaced the hammer-and-sickle symbol on the Mother Ukraine statue in Kyiv with the country's trident coat of arms, as part of efforts to reclaim its cultural identity from the Communist past amid Russia's ongoing invasion. The statue, erected in 1981, now features the Ukrainian tryzub on its shield instead of the Soviet emblem. The revamp coincides with a new name for the statue and is part of a broader campaign to remove Soviet and Russian influence from public spaces in Ukraine. The movement away from Soviet symbols has accelerated since Russia's invasion in 2022.