Plans to redesign the Motherland Monument statue in Kyiv are underway. The reconstruction began on Aug. 1. The project includes plans to replace the symbol featured on Mother Ukraine’s shield. The scythe and hammer were removed from the statue, dismissing the representation of the Soviet Union’s previous influence in the region. Once reconstruction is complete, the shield will feature a trident, the state symbol of Ukraine.
Historically, the trident, or tryzub in Ukrainian, was featured on coins and other items as a symbol of the Rurik Dynasty. Overtime, the trident would be adopted as the symbol of the Ukraine’s People Republic. It would remain a symbol of Ukrainian national pride when the state secured independence from Russia in 1991.
As the Russia-Ukraine war continues, there are more calls for representation that better reflects the current political and social values of the Ukrainian public.
The redesign of the Mother Ukraine Monument should complete by Aug. 24.
