London (AP) – Officials in OSH, Kyrgyzstan’s second-largest city, have dismantled the towering statue of Vladimir Lenin, which is recognized as the tallest monument of Soviet leaders in Central Asia.
The 23-meter (75-foot) statue was erected in 1975, during the time when Kyrgyzstan was still a part of the Soviet Union. An image shared online on Saturday showed the statue toppled on the ground after being lowered by a crane.
While several former Soviet republics have sought to downplay their connections to Russia as they work on redefining their national identities, such monuments have seen a decline in public significance. OSH officials characterized the statue’s removal as a regular part of urban planning.
In an official statement, OSH City Hall described the action as a “general practice” intended to enhance the “architectural and aesthetic character” of the region.
Authorities added that the Lenin monument was either “destroyed or relocated” in various Russian cities, including St. Petersburg and Belgorod, stressing that this matter “should not be politicized.”
They mentioned that the statue will be replaced with a flagpole, as if another Lenin statue would be transferred to the capital, Bishkek.
This decision follows the unveiling of a memorial for the infamous Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin at one of the busiest metro stations in Moscow just a week prior.
Source: apnews.com