Decolonization of Geographic Names

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Primary author: Федір Веніславський

Russia’s full-scale invasion triggered a clear demand within Ukrainian society to cleanse the symbolic landscape of cities and villages from all Russian imperial and Soviet-related references. According to a 2022 sociological survey by the “Rating” Group, three-quarters of Ukrainians support the removal of Russian and communist symbols.

The draft law was initially obstructed by MP Maksym Buzhanskyi, while the working group responsible for its revision was chaired by MP Roman Lozynskyi (“Holos”).

Eventually, the law was adopted. It establishes the legal framework for condemning Russian imperial policy in Ukraine, prohibits the promotion of its symbols, and defines the procedures for eliminating such symbolic references.

As a result of its implementation, more than 25,100 toponymic objects across Ukraine have been renamed, including streets, parks, squares, villages, cities, and districts. In addition, over 1,000 monuments and commemorative signs dedicated to Russian historical figures, perpetrators of violence against Ukraine, and those who served the Russian imperial system rather than the Ukrainian people have been dismantled.

The initiative was supported by a number of civil society organizations and movements, including the “Space of Freedom” volunteer movement, the Network for the Protection of National Interests “ANTS,” the World Congress of Ukrainians, and the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory.

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