in Kiev: the Motherland Monument, 1981 02

The Motherland Monument is a giant titanium statue that celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over the nazi Germany. 102 meters high and visible from various points around Kiev, it is  the city’s most distintive feature. Designed by Yevgeny Vuchetich and Vasyl Borodai it was opened on 9 May 1981. According to the website of the The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War “the Motherland Monument is one of the visiting cards of Kiev. The sculpture is a part of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War and symbolizes the feat accomplished by people during the war”. Exposition halls of the museum are inside the monument’s basement. In modern-day Kiev, the statue remains controversial. In April 2015, the parliament of Ukraine outlawed Soviet and Communist symbols, street names and monuments. However, World War II monuments are excluded from these laws. In this way the shield of the monument is still showing the state emblem of the Soviet Union. These photos were taken in April 2019 and show some views of the memorial complex and the Motherland Monument.