Overview
- Odessa’s international cooperation department said dismantling will not proceed for now due to requirements tied to the Historical Centre of Odessa World Heritage inscription.
- Officials installed a temporary screening structure to remove the monument’s visual impact while procedural issues are addressed.
- City guidance cites Ukrainian law and World Heritage Committee recommendations that require UNESCO coordination for changes within the site or its buffer zone.
- Regional and municipal bodies previously advanced removal efforts in 2024, though then-mayor Gennadiy Trukhanov publicly opposed demolition.
- The bronze bust on Dumska Square, erected in 1889 with citizen funds, has faced repeated vandalism, including red paint thrown on it last year.