Maria Zakharova, the official spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s initiative to erect a monument to Hetman Ivan Mazepa on Taras Shevchenko Avenue in Kyiv.
- Zakharova described the idea of a monument to Mazepa as «sad and ridiculous».
- She claims that Taras Shevchenko had a negative view of Mazepa.
- Mazepa is a symbol of the struggle for Ukrainian statehood.
- Russia is using the figure of Mazepa in its anti-Ukrainian propaganda.
- The monument forms part of the process of decolonisation in Ukraine.
Zakharova’s reaction to Ukraine’s initiative
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented on Ukraine’s plans to establish monument to Hetman Ivan Mazepa. In her Telegram post, she described this initiative as «sad and ridiculous». According to Zakharova, Ukrainians are allegedly being «fed lies», and Taras Shevchenko himself, in her view, had a negative attitude towards Mazepa.
Zakharova referred to the poem «Irzhavets» and folk songs recorded by Shevchenko, in which the hetman is portrayed in a negative light. These statements highlight how the figure of Mazepa remains a subject of controversy between Ukraine and Russia.
The historical context of Mazepa’s life
Ivan Mazepa — one of the most famous Ukrainian hetmans, who in 1708 rose up against Tsar Peter I of Moscow in support of King Charles XII of Sweden. In the Russian Empire, Mazepa was traditionally portrayed as a «traitor», whereas in Ukraine he is increasingly regarded as a politician who sought autonomy and statehood.
Decolonisation and the restoration of historical memory
Plans to erect a monument to Mazepa in Kyiv form part of a wider process decolonisation and the return of Ukrainian historical figures to the public sphere. Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, Ukraine has been actively removing symbols of the Russian imperial legacy, whilst reviving the memory of those who fought for Ukrainian independence.
Why it matters
Zakharova’s reaction demonstrates that the Russian authorities perceive Ukraine’s historical policy as a threat to their own imperial narratives. The controversy surrounding Mazepa remains part of the information war between Ukraine and Russia, in which historical memory has become a key battleground.
