The monument to Russian empress Catherine II from the center of Odesa will be handed over to the art museum after dismantling.
This was reported in the Odesa City Council.
"Today, in compliance with the decision of the Odesa City Council, the dismantling of the figures of the "Founders of Odesa", popularly known as the monument to Catherine II, has begun. This monument will be transferred to the art museum in accordance with the decision of the session. He, as well as four figures that are monuments of national importance," a representative of the city council noted in a video message.
According to him, in this way, Odesa "begins a difficult and long, but necessary process of rethinking its own history and freeing itself from imperial and Soviet myths."
- On July 12, a petition entitled "In Odesa, replace the monument to Catherine II with a monument to the American actor Billy Herrington" gathered 25 000 signatures. According to the law, after that, within 3 months from the day of its publication, the president had to consider it.
- On July 13, another petition on the presidentʼs website about the demolition of the monument to Russian empress Catherine II in Odesa received 25 000 votes.
- On August 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to a petition to replace the monument to Russian Empress Catherine II in Odesa with a monument to American gay porn actor Billy Herrington. He asked the Odesa City Council to consider the issues raised in the petition.
- On November 30, the Odesa City Council decided to dismantle the monument to Russian empress Catherine II.