Kyiv authorities to rename streets referencing USSR, Russia, Belarus

The City Council of Kyiv plans to remove all street names and memorials referencing or glorifying Russia, USSR, and Belarus in one sweeping move.

Volodymyr Bondarenko, the Secretary of the Kyiv City Council, announced that the local authorities will change the names of streets and squares that make references to the Soviet Union, Russian, and Belarus. There are 279 streets and squares that have been identified in Kyiv, along with 60 objects, such as memorial statues and plaques.

“Some names, such as ‘Moscow Street’ or ‘Amur Square’ will be changed. As for some others, such as ‘Belarusian Street’, we will consider that, as there are many Belarusians living in Ukraine, including people who fled the Lukashenka regime, and volunteers fighting on our side against the Russian military,” said Bondarenko.

City residents can submit suggestions for the renaming of streets and objects to be removed by May 1. Mr. Bondarenko said that for now, the signs with street names will not be changed, as “this is not the time for such actions”.

“We now have a unique possibility to resolve the matter of these streets and structures,” said Bondarenko, adding that “no one intends to take books of Russian classical authors down from library shelves or forbid people to attend concerts of Rachmaninoff. But the matter of street names and memorials needs to be brought to a close.”