By KYIV. May 25 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Kyiv City Council today stripped the title of Honorary Citizen of Kyiv of the Soviet statesman and party leader, Leonid Brezhnev, as well as five other persons elected and working in leadership positions of the Communist Party of the former USSR or associated with the KGB. Some 82 deputies voted in favor of this decision.
“This decision is another step towards the elimination of the legacy of the former communist regime. It is well known that the suppression of protests in the countries of the ‘socialist camp’, the war in Afghanistan in 1979-1989, escalation of arms, as well as support for the ‘third world’ are associated with the activities of Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR Leonid Brezhnev. During Brezhnev’s tenure in power, total control over society by the KGB increased,” the press service of Kyiv City Council said.
In addition to Brezhnev, Alexei Epishev, Vitaly Masol, Kirill Moskalenko, Alexei Fedorov and Truong Chinh were deprived of the titles of Honorary Citizens of Kyiv.
The decision of Kyiv City Council was made in line with the law of Ukraine on the condemnation of the communist and national-socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and the prohibition of propaganda of their symbols. At the same time, the opinion of the public, which filed a corresponding petition, was also taken into account.
