Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov’s statue was removed from Kyiv’s Pechersk district over symbolizing Russia’s imperial past and Pavlov's controversial experiments on animals, the Kyiv city administration said on Jan. 27.
During centuries of Russian imperial rule, Moscow imposed the supremacy of the Russian language, nation, and culture over Ukraine. The Russian cultural dominance largely continued during the Soviet period, and statues for Russian figures were erected until Ukraine gained independence in 1991.
Russia's full-scale invasion has accelerated Ukraine's efforts to de-Russify public spaces. According to the city's administration, Kyiv authorities have removed 59 objects as part of the campaign since 2022.
Pavlov's monument is currently placed in a specialized site and will be transferred to the Oleg Antonov State Aviation Museum in Kyiv, where similar objects are stored. The decision on the monument's removal was made in July 2023.
Pavlov, who lived between 1849 and 1936, was born and spent much of his life in modern-day Russia. While considered a pioneer in neurology and physiology, the founder of classical conditioning has also been accused of conducting cruel experiments on animals, most famously dogs.
Ian Buruma
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