The Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian people () is a monument in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. It was opened on 7 November 1982, amidst the celebration of the 1,500th Anniversary of Kyiv, to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the USSR and the "reunification of Ukraine with Russia in 1654". (The Pereiaslav Agreement as it was known in the Soviet Union). The sculpture under the arch, which depicted a Ukrainian worker and a Russian worker standing together, was dismantled in April 2022 amidst the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Name Official name of the monument in Soviet times: Monument to commemorate the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. After the restoration of Ukraine's independence until May 2022, the monument was renamed the Peoples' Friendship Arch (), colloquial name was the Yarmo (). On 14 May 2022, according to the decision of the Kyiv City Council, it was named the Arch of Freedom of the Ukrainian people. Description The Friendship Arch was constructed in 1982 by sculptor A. Skoblikov and architect I. Ivanov and others. The monument consisted of three sculptural elements: an arch and two statues. A in diameter, rainbow-shaped arch, made of titanium. A bronze statue depicting a Russian and a Ukrainian worker holding up the Soviet Order of Friendship of Peoples A granite stele depicting the participants of the Pereyaslav Council of 1654. The surviving arch is located next to a viewing deck where most of Kyiv's east bank can be viewed, Troieschyna and towards the north of the city, Podil and Obolon. The monument was unveiled by the First Secretary of the Communist Party Volodymyr Shcherbytsky amidst the celebration of the 1,500th Anniversary of Kyiv, on 7 November 1982, to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the USSR and the reunification of Ukraine with Russia in 1654. Although the USSR was proclaimed on 30 December 1922; 7 November 1982 was the 65th anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917. The monument was opened together with the All-Union Lenin Museum (today, Ukrainian House). The arch had the local nickname "yoke" (; "Yarmo"). Location The whole People's Friendship Arch complex (and its surviving arch) was located on top of the right bank of the Dnieper river overlooking the Park Bridge and the Shore Highway (). (Park Bridge is a pedestrian bridge that connects the city with Trukhaniv island.) This location is behind the buildings complex of the National Philharmonic Society