Like all post-Soviet states, Ukrainians harbor a complicated relationship with their Communist roots. For decades, statues of revolutionary figures like Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and, particularly, Vladimir Lenin were erected around the country. By 1991, there were 5,500 in Ukraine alone. Until as late as 2015 in some instances, Lenin’s stern visage surveyed many village squares and city centers, serving as a literal pillar of ideology.
Vice News: Decapitating Lenin statues is the hottest new trend in Ukraine
A truck carries a huge statue of Lenin's after it was dismantled in Zaporizhia Ukraine, on March 17, 2016.
