Ukraine nationalists tear down Kharkiv's Lenin statue

[n2doc]

Source: BBC

Nationalists have torn down a statue of Lenin in the centre of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, in a move supported by officials.

People cheered and leapt for joy as the statue came crashing down.

Pro-Russian demonstrators in the largely Russian-speaking city defended the statue in February, when President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Kharkiv escaped the violent unrest which swept through east Ukraine's other regions, Donetsk and Luhansk.

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29405089

[uhnope]

1. it's about time

[Duckhunter935]

2. I guess they do not

want to be part of Russia

[salib]

3. Yeah, Russia bad

Putin bad

Lenin bad

Shall I keep going?

Why are we still fighting the Cold War?

Should Russians condemn us for statues of Columbus, Custer, the anti-Semitic and coup attempting Ford?

Why are we still itching to fight the Cold War? Was it really that good for you?

[christx30]

5. I don't know why Russia would

have a problem with us having a statue of Columbus or Custer. Maybe Native Americans would have a problem with it. Might be understandable if one of those statues were torn down. Or if there was a statue of General Lord Cornwallis in Boston or New York. Or a statue of General Sherman in Atlanta.
Russia treated Ukraine like shit. The only thing I'm shocked about is that it took this long to rip all of Russia's crap out of there. I'm surprised it wasn't done in 1995 or sooner.

[jakeXT]

4. Ironic ... the Germans around WWI helped both into existence

Out of the chaos into which Russia fell after the revolution last March a new nation now emerges
-the Ukrainian People's Republic

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9903E1DE113FE433A25754C1A9649C946996D6CF

LENIN UND DER KAISER

Die beiden ideologischen Todfeinde verband seit 1914 ein gemeinsames Interesse - das Ende des Weltkriegs im Osten. Bislang unbekannte Dokumente belegen nun das Ausmaß der geheimen Kooperation: Jahrelang unterstützte das Kaiserreich die Bolschewiki mit Geld, Waffen und Logistik.
http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/spiegelspecialgeschichte/d-54841257.html

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Fspiegel%2Fspiegelspecialgeschichte%2Fd-54841257.html&edit-text=

[davidpdx]

6. What?

You don't want to be part of Mother Russia.

[MattSh]

8. What does a Lenin statue have to do with...

wanting or not wanting to be a part of Russia? Inquiring minds want to know...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. There's a lot of Soviet nostalgia in Russia these days.

Not necessarily for the communism (which was never the ultimate driving force anyways), but for superpower glory that the USSR represented in nostalgia riddled minds.

[Adrahil]

20. It's not an uncommon feeling in fallen empires....

... it will be interesting to see to what extent Russia can resist the militaristic nationalism often associated with this phenomenon. Putin is attempting to ride the edge of it. We'll see how this plays out. It's a dangerous game.

[candelista]

13. Nothing.

Just Lenin-bashing.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

23. What exactly does Lenin have to do with Ukraine?

Why have statues of a foreign leader of a dead state sitting around as if it should be relevant?

[pampango]

9. Ethnic Russians are about 25% of Kharkiv. Most Ukrainians, even Russian-speakers, want a united Ukraine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russians_in_Ukraine#mediaviewer/File:Russians_Ukraine_2001.PNG



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/05/08/new-poll-shows-eastern-ukraines-separatists-are-wrong/

[davidpdx]

10. I was being sarcastic

I guess I should have added this:

[uhnope]

18. thanks for this tidal wave of truth

which will promptly be ignored by the pro-Putin, anti-West crowd

[cosmicone]

7. When they freeze this winter due to a lack of natural gas

they would be willing to erect statues of Putin.

[joshcryer]

14. You wish.

Putin isn't going to freeze out Ukraine.

[Codeine]

15. Bet you had to type that with one hand. nt

[uhnope]

19. "Ukraine moved closer to resolving its monthslong dispute with Russia over natural gas Friday..."

http://online.wsj.com/articles/ukraines-gas-deal-with-russia-reflects-shifting-pressures-1411762998

[LanternWaste]

16. Sounds much like a title of another RT state-sanctioned editorial

Sounds much like a title of another RT state-sanctioned editorial.

[Adrahil]

21. Hmmmm....

well, we'll see about that. But I do find it interesting that you seem to take some delight in this.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. Why Lenin statues were still around in Ukraine for the past 22 years is the greater question.

It's a relic of an extinct country, and one that really doesn't have much in the way of positive association for the Ukrainian people. Not as bad as Stalin, but bad nonetheless.

[Ron Obvious]

17. Hell, we have a Lenin statue here in Fremont (Seattle)

Rescued from Slovakia, I think I recall:

[Adrahil]

22. I have mixed feelings....

... I don't like to see history or art, even such propaganda art, destroyed.

But who the heck in Seattle wants a statue of Lenin in the town square? I could see putting in an museum, but....

[Tommy_Carcetti]

24. I think it's a hipster thing, perhaps?

I guess they're trying to be ironic. And maybe they think he's got a cool looking hat?

[Adrahil]

25. Maybe it's like wearing a Che T-shirt, but at the town level. :) NT