Ukraine Declares Dostoevsky and Tolstoy Symbols of Imperial Propaganda

Photo: UOJ-Ukraine

KYIV — Ukraine’s Institute of National Memory has declared renowned Russian writers Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy to be figures associated with Russian imperial propaganda, recommending that streets, monuments, and other public objects bearing their names be renamed or removed. In a statement released January 20, the Institute’s expert commission said the literary legacy of both authors is “directly connected with the glorification of Russian imperial policy.”

According to the Institute, the widespread commemoration of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy in Ukraine was part of a broader Russification strategy aimed at displacing the Ukrainian language and narrowing the country’s cultural and informational space. As a result, sites honoring the writers are now officially classified as symbols of Russian imperial policy, and their continued presence is deemed a form of propaganda.

The decision follows earlier classifications issued by the Institute dividing historical figures into approved and disapproved categories. Institute head Oleksandr Alferov has urged local authorities to review street names and implement changes where necessary.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Forbes had removed an inaccurate article regarding the Society of St. John. 

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