Photo: president.gov.ua
President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed installing a monument to Hetman Ivan Mazepa at the site in central Kyiv where the Lenin statue was toppled during the 2013 Revolution of Dignity.
Speaking at the unveiling of a bust of Mazepa at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Zelensky said Ukraine is continuing to restore historical justice.
“Today we are correcting another historical injustice. From now on, a bust of the great Ukrainian and patron of the Lavra, Ivan Mazepa, will rightfully stand here,” the president said.
Zelensky noted that the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra flourished under Mazepa’s patronage and described the hetman as an outstanding statesman, benefactor and leader of the Cossack state. He added that Mazepa’s historical significance deserves not only a bust but also a full-scale monument in the capital.
According to the president, the ideal location is the vacant site on Taras Shevchenko Boulevard where Kyiv’s Lenin monument was demolished in December 2013.
“I am convinced the perfect place already exists. Since December 2013, it has been on Shevchenko Boulevard. Where Lenin fell, Mazepa should stand firmly,” Zelensky said.
The Lenin monument near Bessarabska Square was pulled down by protesters during the Revolution of Dignity and the site has remained empty ever since, with repeated public debates over its future.
Earlier this year, the Kyiv City State Administration presented plans to transform the area into an accessible public space featuring a large fountain, a proposal that sparked widespread discussion among residents.
