Ukraine removes Pyotr Tchaikovsky from its National Music Academy

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s Culture Ministry has removed the name of celebrated Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky from the National Music Academy, as stated by reports. Tchaikovsky, who achieved worldwide fame in the late 19th century, is known for iconic works such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

The decision is part of Kiev’s broader effort to eliminate symbols linked to its historical ties with Russia. The Kiev City Council recently voted to dismantle 15 monuments and memorials, including tributes to writer Mikhail Bulgakov, poet Anna Akhmatova, and composer Mikhail Glinka. In Odessa, authorities removed monuments to the city’s founder, Russian Empress Catherine II, and a 19th-century memorial to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, which had been designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture said the renaming is part of the ongoing “process of decolonization of Ukrainian culture.” The authorities cited experts from the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, who concluded that Tchaikovsky represents a “symbol of Russian imperial policy.”

Soviet-era monuments have also been targeted in the campaign. In August, the activist group ‘Decolonization. Ukraine’ reported that the last known statue of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin in Khmelnytskyi Region had been toppled with local authorities’ assistance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented at the time, saying, “Ukraine is now well known for its fight against monuments.”

Since the Western-backed Maidan coup in 2014, Ukraine has enacted decommunization laws banning Soviet-era symbols and requiring the renaming of towns and streets associated with the USSR. Following the intensification of the conflict with Russia in 2022, Kiev has expanded this campaign to include cultural figures and landmarks connected to Russia.

MENAFN31122025000045017281ID1110542771