Post-Soviet or Postcolonial?:On (De-)Decolonization in Wartime Ukraine: The Case of Odesa

This article explores the debates over decolonization in Ukraine during the ongoing Russian war (2014–), with a particular focus on present-day Odesa, a port city on the Black Sea. It argues that the post-Soviet framework remains essential for understanding the practices and tensions on the ground, even as postcolonial perspectives gain traction and Ukrainian society seeks to leave the post-Soviet epoch behind. The study shows that decisions about which symbols, monuments, and cultural legacies to remove or reinterpret have sparked polarized interpretations: some Odesans see decolonization as an opportunity to reimagine the city beyond its Russian-centered representations of the past and the old Odesa myth, while others perceive these efforts as coercive, Soviet-style attempts to erase Odesa’s heritage. In the city, the debates over decolonization reflect a confrontation between two patriotic orientations: one opposing the Russian invasion, and another linking that struggle to a broader and deeper project of decolonial transformation. The article highlights how post-Soviet dynamics are manifest among both supporters and opponents of decolonization. Keywords: Russo-Ukrainian war, heritage, Soviet legacy, memory wars, culture wars, cultural front, Odesa myth