President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law on the "decolonization of toponyms", which prohibits assigning names associated with Russia to geographical objects and streets in the country. The document was published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
As People's Deputy Vladimir Vyatrovich stated, the law will come into force three months after its publication, it is quoted by Politika Strana. After that, it will be forbidden to use names that "exalt, perpetuate, propagate or symbolize" Russia. In particular, you cannot use names associated with Russian sights, memorable, historical and cultural places, cities, dates and events. It is also forbidden to name streets and geographical objects after historical persons who held leading positions in Russia or were involved in imperial propaganda.
“Assignment to geographical objects, legal entities and objects of property rights of the names of the state that glorifies, perpetuates, propagandizes or contains the symbols of Russian imperial policy, as well as the names of the terrorizing state, as well as the terrorist state (aggressor state) or its outstanding, memorable, historical and cultural places, settlements, dates, events is prohibited.”
Self-government bodies and military administrations in Ukraine must dismantle monuments and memorials corresponding to the description in the law, rename streets and other objects within six months after the entry into force of the law.
Since May 2015, a law on decommunization has been in force in Ukraine, which prohibits the propaganda of communist symbols. Monuments to Soviet statesmen are being dismantled in the country, toponyms named after them are being renamed. So, the city of Dnepropetrovsk was renamed Dnipro, and Kirovograd – Kropyvnytskyi.
On June 19, 2022, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law on "restricting the public use of the musical product of the aggressor state", banning Russian music in the media and in public places. The requirement applies to songs by performers who have had Russian citizenship since 1991. In addition, the Rada adopted a law prohibiting the distribution of books and other publishing products from Russia, Belarus and the occupied territories of Ukraine.
