After Russian shelling, the mayor of Kharkiv decided to rename Pushkins’ka Street

09.02.2024

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The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, has proposed to rename Pushkins’ka Street (a central street named after the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin) in honor of Hryhoriy Skovoroda, a prominent Ukrainian poet and philosopher. Terekhov shared this proposal via his Telegram channel.

He added that he was against the idea of renaming the street at first:

“As a resident of Kharkiv, I had not felt the need to change the name of Pushkins’ka Street — until [January 23rd]. Like many others in Kharkiv, I have always believed that Pushkin’s legacy has no relevance to present-day Russia and definitely does not align with the current narrative pushed by the Putin regime, which obviously attempts to manipulate and exploit the eminence of historical figures for its profit.

After witnessing the enemy’s ruthless bombardment of our city, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians and the destruction of countless homes, we realized the true toll of such choices. Never before has Kharkiv endured such intense pain during this war. This is why I believe that we cannot leave things unchanged; we must take action instead of accepting the status quo.

My suggestion is to honor our fellow countryman, Hryhoriy Skovoroda, by naming the street after him. In our country’s history, he is a prominent figure whose philosophy emphasized the importance of life and freedom, and stood in stark contrast to imperial ambitions. He taught us to cherish the value of life and the right to freedom for every human being, presenting us with the best answer to the trials we face today.”

Terekhov stated that the decision to rename the street followed another aggressive missile attack on Kharkiv by Russia.

In addition to Pushkins’ka Street, other toponyms in Kharkiv are set to be renamed as part of the de-russification process.

Translation: Valeriia Chepiha

Editor: Tanya Mykhaylychenko