A statue of Mikhail Bulgakov, the celebrated 20th-century novelist born in Kyiv, was removed earlier this month from Andriivskyi Descent, a historic street in the Ukrainian capital known for its cultural significance. The decision, made by the Kyiv city council, reflects the ongoing efforts by Ukraine to purge symbols and names associated with Russian and Soviet rule in the country’s broader campaign to reclaim its history and cultural identity.

Bulgakov, author of the acclaimed novel *The Master and Margarita*, occupied a complex status within this context. Born in Kyiv and residing in the city for much of his life, Bulgakov’s work also included sharp satire targeting Soviet authoritarianism. Nevertheless, his legacy is now contested due to passages in his novel *White Guard*, in which the central character disparages the idea of a Ukrainian state and diminishes the Ukrainian language—stances at odds with Ukraine’s current struggle to assert its sovereignty amid ongoing conflict with Russia.

The writer’s personal biography adds nuance to the debate. Bulgakov wrote much of his work while living in the house where the now-adjacent Mikhail Bulgakov Museum is located. He was a Russian speaker who served as a medic with the anti-Bolshevik White Army during the chaotic aftermath of the 1917 revolution, fighting both the Communists and Ukrainian nationalists in defense of the collapsing Russian Empire. Oleksandr Alfyorov, head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, described Bulgakov as a representative of "the Russian world" at a time that Ukraine was fighting for independence.

The institute, established in 2006 and instrumental in state-led efforts to rename nearly 380 streets in Kyiv since 2019, views the removal as part of a broader decolonization campaign intensified following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Previous targets included Soviet figures such as Vladimir Lenin and Russian Empire leaders like Catherine the Great and Alexander Pushkin.

However, not all Ukrainians agree with the statue’s removal. The Mikhail Bulgakov Museum’s director, Lyudmilla Gubionuri, called the decision a mistake, advocating instead for providing additional historical context. She pointed to the museum’s efforts to explain the period in which Bulgakov wrote—characterized by ideological repression in Soviet Russia—and noted that *The Master and Margarita* itself had been banned for decades under Soviet rule. Since the statue’s removal, the museum has seen an increase in visitors drawn by the controversy.

Within Ukraine’s political landscape, the de-Russification movement is a contentious subject. Maksym Buzhanskyi, a member of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People party, criticized the campaign as excessive, describing it as driven by a small but vocal faction imposing its will on the broader society.

The campaign to redefine Ukraine’s historical narrative extends beyond cultural figures, intersecting with diplomatic tensions. Recently, a dispute with Poland arose over the commemoration of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), a World War II militia honored by some Ukrainians as fighters for independence but condemned by Poland for involvement in atrocities against Poles and Jews. This controversy led to Polish President Karol Nawrocki revoking Zelensky’s Order of the White Eagle, a decision that prompted the Ukrainian president to return the medal.

The debate over Bulgakov’s statue highlights the complexities Ukraine faces in balancing its efforts to affirm national identity while managing the multifaceted legacy of individuals entwined with the country’s historic and cultural ties to Russia.