In Helsinki, on Monday morning, they dismantled the monument “Peace in the World”, a gift from the USSR to Finland.
It is noted that a sidewalk is planned to be laid on the site of the monument. The construction project does not provide for the possible transportation of the statue back. The final fate of the monument will be decided later.
“Peace in the World” is a 6-meter bronze composition made by the Soviet sculptor Oleg Kiryukhin. Moscow donated the monument to the Finnish side in 1989. As planned, the monument symbolizes peace between continents.
Public debate about the appropriateness of the monument has also erupted in recent months following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In the spring, “world money” was inscribed on the pedestal and Ukrainian flags were placed in the hands of the human figures of the monument.
The Estonian government also decided to remove Soviet monuments from public places. There are up to 400 such monuments in the country. Earlier, Latvia decided to get rid of Soviet monuments and monuments, in particular, in Riga they decided to demolish the monument to Soviet soldiers.
Following the model of Riga, monuments are being removed or transferred in other cities of the country, calling them symbols of the Soviet occupation.
