Since Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, many populated places and administrative divisions in the country have had their names changed as part of the derussification of toponyms (placenames) in Ukraine.[1] These changes have involved the removal of placenames connected to people, places, events, and organizations associated with Russia and Russian imperialism, often leading to the restoration of historical placenames that had been previously changed in Ukraine's history. Derussification has also included respellings or rewordings of names to match standard spelling and word usages in Ukrainian. The official names of populated places in the country are determined through legislation passed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, often at the request of local authorities. During the last years prior to and in the initial decades after independence, derussification was not actively pursued and primarily resulted from the gradual switch to the Ukrainian spelling of some large cities and their administrative entities in addition to a few local government-sponsored renamings over the years. Following the months-long Euromaidan protests and beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014, hundreds of placenames dedicated to Russian communist figures and the Soviet Union were changed as major decommunization legislation was enacted in 2016. However, most Russian names not associated with communism continued to remain in place as direct derussification remained less popular.
As of 22 December 2024, ten administrative divisions and hundreds of populated places have had their names changed or modified as part of derussification. On 19 September 2024, the Verkhovna Rada voted to rename 327 populated places and four raions;[10] the law entered force on 26 September.[11] A draft resolution aiming to rename 83 more populated places that do not correspond with the standards of the Ukrainian language was registered on 21 June 2024.[12]
Renamed due to the old name's history in the Pereiaslav Agreement promoting Russo-Ukrainian solidarity;[18] subsequently the original name was returned
^Пояснювальна записка про перейменування міста Переяслав-Хмельницький Київської області [Explanatory note on renaming the city of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv Oblast] (RTF). Official Website of the Parliament of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 25 September 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2024. Український інститут національної пам'яті підтримує пропозицію про повернення місту Переяслав-Хмельницький його історичної назви Переяслав. Повернення місту його історичної назви сприятиме відновленню національної пам'яті українського суспільства, а також подоланню історичних міфів про «споконвічне прагнення українського народу до возз'єднання з російським народом», що втілилося у «возз'єднання України та Росії» на Переяславській раді 1654 р. [Ukrainian Institute of National Memory supports the proposal to return the city of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi its historic name Pereiaslav. Returning the city to its historic name will contribute to the restoration of the national memory of the Ukrainian society, as well as overcoming historical myths about "the primordial desire of the Ukrainian people to reunite with the Russian people", which was embodied in the "reunification of Ukraine and Russia" at the Pereiaslav Council in 1654]
