Russia-associated landmarks in Kyiv to be renamed, mayor says

The mayor of Kyiv said that landmarks in the Ukrainian capital that are associated with Russia are going to be renamed as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine.

“Today I submitted a draft decision to rename the former Square of Friendship between Kyiv and Moscow to the Heroes of Mariupol Square. And deputies supported such initiative,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement over Telegram on Friday.

“Today the Kyiv City Council approved a number of renamings of city facilities, draft decisions on which have already been prepared and passed the necessary procedures.”

He said that subway stations, streets, avenues and other parts of Kyiv still had names associated with Russia and that officials were thinking of new names for them, saying “their renaming is relevant.”

He said they would work on renaming the landmarks until May 9, after which a “comprehension decision” on the new names would be made at a Kyiv City Council meeting.

The announcement follows more than 50 days of conflict between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow began its invasion.

Gérard Depardieu, a French actor and close friend to Russian President Vladimir Putin, called the conflict a “fratricidal war” during a phone interview last month with the the AFP, saying Ukraine and Russia “have always been brother countries.”

Russia’s assault on its neighboring country has been widely condemned around the world, with Ukrainian and Western officials accusing Moscow of committing war crimes and genocide.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Saturday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia could come to an end altogether if Russian troops killed the remaining Ukrainian forces in Mariupol and continued committing atrocities like those recently uncovered in cities near Kyiv.