The process of decommunisation in Ukraine

· According to mentioned laws ALL Soviet names and titles must been renamed. To the majority of them were given original names, BUT with the exception of two big cities: Dnepropetrovsk and Kirovograd. Dnepropetrovsk original name was Yekaterinoslav, as it was titled in an honour of Russian empress Catherine the Great. Kirovograd’s original name was Yelisavetgrad, so it was named in honour of Russian empress Elizabeth. From political reasons with the secession of Crimea peninsula and its reunification with Russia, President Poroshenko have said, that “original Russian Empire city names cannot be on the Ukrainian map anymore”.[8] Dnepropetrovsk was renamed to Dnepr (Dnipro) and Kirovograd to Kropivnitskiy.[9]

· Nowadays nearly all cities, towns and villages are renamed, but in the Southern and Eastern Ukraine old titles are still more popular than new ones. In a town of Sloviansk 49 streets have been renamed. The town is not big, so renaming process have caused many difficulties.

· The law is valid on the whole Ukrainian territory (according to constitution), but it isn’t working on territories, that are controlled by so called “Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics”. There are still used old communistic names and titles.

· On the territory of Crimea Verkhovna Rada have renamed 75 units, but they are not applied in real life, as Autonomous Republic of Crimea doesn’t control the territory of the Crimean peninsula, which is incorporated to Russia.

Doubtful examples of decommunisations.

· There are some doubtful examples of renaming. For example in Kiev there have been Moskovskiy prospect. According to the decommunisation laws, it could not be renamed in the frames of the law. Moscow is the geographical title and wasn’t linked with communism, as Moscow is 870 years old city and communism father Marx was born only in 1818. However Moskovskiy was renamed to Bandera prospect. (Bandera is the leader of the UPA and OUN).

· Another doubtful case is in Kiev too. Vatutina prospect renamed to Romana Shukhevicha prospect. Vatutin was a Soviet general of army, who was killed in the battle of liberation of Kiev. The offence, which was planned by him have liberated Kiev. Roman Shukhevich was one of the generals of the Insurgent army, Hauptman of the Abwehr battalion Nachtigall, and one of the Volyn massacre performers.

ANNEX

fig. 1. Soviet names (red) and Independent (blue) street names before 2015

fig. 2. The map communities to be decommunised in 2015

[1] http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/314-19?test=4/UMfPEGznhhBKE.Zihj5gOEHI4Xks80msh8Ie6

[2] https://krytyka.com/en/solutions/opinions/decommunization-laws-deeply-divisive-and-destined-strasbourg

[3] Ibid.

[4] http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/315-19?test=4/UMfPEGznhhBKE.Zihj5gOEHI4Xks80msh8Ie6

[5] http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/316-19

[6] http://zakon4.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/317-19

[7] https://krytyka.com/en/solutions/opinions/decommunization-laws-deeply-divisive-and-destined-strasbourg

[8] http://www.president.gov.ua/news/vistup-prezidenta-na-ceremoniyi-vshanuvannya-pamyati-zhertv-37104

[9] http://korrespondent.net/ukraine/3580892-v-kyrovohrade-vybraly-tsarskoe-nazvanye-horoda