What do the two-headed eagles in the decoration of the Bell Tower and the Holy Gate of St. Sophia of Kyiv symbolize

What do the two-headed eagles in the decoration of the Bell Tower and the Holy Gate of St. Sophia of Kyiv symbolize

Nowadays, when de-Russification is actively being carried out in Ukraine, some of the visitors to the National Conservation Area “St. Sophia of Kyiv” have a question: why are the images of a double-headed eagle preserved in the decoration of the Bell Tower and the Holy Gate of St. Sophia of Kyiv, which are associated exclusively with the coat of arms of the aggressor country? The fact is that the origin of this symbol has nothing to do with modern russia or the russian empire (it appropriated it, like many other foreign possessions). On the history and meaning of this heraldic sign, read the article by Doctor of Historical Sciences, Prof. Nadia Nikitenko:

THE DOUBLE-HEADED EAGLE IN THE STUCCO MOLDING OF THE BELL TOWER AND THE HOLY GATE OF ST. SOPHIA OF KYIV