Ubuntu's gnome-shell extensions can't be uninstalled (safely)

Ubuntu's gnome-shell extensions can't be uninstalled (safely), because doing so would also remove ubuntu-desktop...

$ sudo apt remove gnome-shell-extension-ubuntu-dock
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  gir1.2-clutter-1.0 gir1.2-cogl-1.0 gir1.2-coglpango-1.0
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  gnome-shell-extension-ubuntu-dock ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-desktop-minimal
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 3 to remove and 1 not to upgrade.
After this operation, 756 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] ^C

$ sudo apt remove gnome-shell-extension-appindicator
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  gir1.2-clutter-1.0 gir1.2-cogl-1.0 gir1.2-coglpango-1.0
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  gnome-shell-extension-appindicator ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-desktop-minimal
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 3 to remove and 1 not to upgrade.
After this operation, 223 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] n
Abort.

$ sudo apt remove gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  gir1.2-clutter-1.0 gir1.2-cogl-1.0 gir1.2-coglpango-1.0
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  gnome-shell-extension-desktop-icons ubuntu-desktop ubuntu-desktop-minimal
0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 3 to remove and 1 not to upgrade.
After this operation, 309 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] n
Abort.