INM Expert Council: Monument to Makarov in Mykolaiv should not be demolished, but Russian inscriptions should be removed

A monument to Stepan Makarov stands on Mykolaiv's Embankment. Archival photo: «NikVesti»

The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory has recognised that objects associated with the name of Admiral Stepan Makarov, a native of Mykolaiv, do not fall under the ban as symbols of Russian imperial policy.

The relevant conclusion was made by the Institute's expert commission chaired by Stepan Makarov on 6 November 2025, according to the Mykolaiv Department of Cultural Heritage Protection.

The document notes that Stepan Makarov (1849-1904) was a native of Mykolaiv, a Russian naval commander, sailor and oceanographer who made a significant contribution to the development of hydrography and shipbuilding. He was not directly involved in the implementation of the Russian imperial policy aimed at subjugating or assimilating the Ukrainian people.

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«Stepan Makarov held senior positions in the Russian Empire's Navy, but he is not connected with the implementation of Russian imperial policy within the meaning of the Law», the conclusion says.

Thus, the restrictions provided for by the law do not apply to objects associated with his name — streets, institutions, monuments or place names.

At the same time, the experts recommended eliminating certain elements containing imperial symbols. In particular:

• remove the Russian-language inscription and certain elements with symbols of Russian imperial policy from the monument in Mykolaiv;
• remove from the pedestal the reference to Makarov's death on the battleship «Petropavlovsk»;
• remove the word «Admiral» from the name «Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding»;
• update the information about Makarov on the university's website so that it meets the requirements of the law and does not contain elements of glorification of Russian imperial policy.

The Expert Commission included scholars Sviatoslav Verbych, Andrii Hrechylo, Viktor Brekhunenko, Oleksandr Rubliov and Oleksii Sokyrko.

Experts of the Ukrainian Institute of National Policy advise to Ukrainianise the inscription on the monument to Makarov. Photo: screenshot

As a reminder, in October 2025, unknown persons damaged the monument to Admiral Makarov. The city's Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage noted that experts, together with public utilities, examined the monument and found that it had been damaged intentionally. The city authorities have already filed a statement with law enforcement agencies.

Svitlana Hladun, head of the city's cultural heritage protection department, explained that the monument to Makarov still has a protected status, and therefore the Ministry of Culture sees no reason to dismantle it.

«They see no reason to resolve this issue yet. This is the responsibility of the regional department of culture, they are responsible for it and are directly negotiating with the ministry. In principle, if there are no prohibited symbols on Makarov, it should be included in the register. In addition, the house where Makarov lived also has a status,» said Svitlana Hladun.

Despite this, the city has already changed the name of the street that used to be named after Makarov. According to Oleksandr Tryhub, the head of the toponymy commission, this was influenced by the story of the Russian ship of the same name that shelled the territory of Ukraine, as well as the biography of Makarov himself, a naval officer of the Russian Empire.