On December 1, police guarded the statue of Vladimir Lenin in Kiev so that citizens protesting President Viktor Yanukovich's turn away from Europe and toward Russia wouldn't attempt anything radical. Riot police stand guard in front of a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin in Kiev December 1, 2013. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

Today the statue was toppled in a powerful act of defiance.

Here's the triumphant scene of protesters pwning decapitated Lenin with a sledgehammer: A man holds a sledgehammer as he smashes a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin, which was toppled by protesters during a rally organized by supporters of EU integration in Kiev, December 8, 2013. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov People climb up to the top of a pedestal after a statue of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin was toppled by protesters during a rally organized by supporters of EU integration in Kiev, December 8, 2013. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

A huge symbolic victory: