Transformation of perceptions of cultural heritage and dilemmas of choice between its preservation and elimination

The article examines the interconnectedness of decommunization and decolonization of cultural space with the acquisition of historical knowledge and the transformation of ideas about cultural heritage. It is shown that the analysis of Russian-Soviet colonialism, including the deconstruction of its key historical mythologies embodied in cultural heritage objects, has proved to be a rather difficult task: both for theoretical comprehension and for practical implementation. Without its solution, it is impossible to get rid of the burdens of the colonial past. A number of questions have been proposed, the answers to which will help to identify heritage elements that are markers of colonialism, limit their influence and significance by depriving them of the status of monuments protected by law and removing them from public space.