The city of Kiev has started the demolition of the statue at the Arch of Friendship of Peoples built by the Soviets in 1982 in the center of the Ukrainian capital.
"This place no longer represents the friendship between Russia and Ukraine, Russia is attacking us. The monument dedicated to the freedom of Ukraine will rise here," Mayor Vitaly Klichko said on the spot.
The bronze statue symbolizes two workers, one Ukrainian and one Russian holding up the star of the Soviet Peoples' Friendship Order.
The Russian has already been 'beheaded'.