Zelenskyy signs law banning place names associated with Russia
Alona Mazurenko, Roman Petrenko — Saturday, 22 April 2023, 11:19President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law ...
Corrected: The original version of the news said that Zelenskyy signed the law "On Geographical Names", which "prohibits geographical names associated with Russia."
In fact, we are talking about the final version of the law entitled "On the Condemnation and Prohibition of Propaganda of Russian Imperial Policy in Ukraine and the Decolonisation of Toponymy".
The news also discussed the essence of the draft law adopted in the first reading, after which it was significantly expanded and changed.
Updated: The law comes into force three months after its publication, during which time the Cabinet of Ministers must prepare a regulatory framework to implement its provisions.
Zelenskyy signs law banning place names associated with Russia
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law “On the Condemnation and Prohibition of Propaganda of Russian Imperial Policy in Ukraine and the Decolonisation of Toponymy”, establishing a ban on the distribution of symbols of Russian imperial policy throughout Ukraine.
www.pravda.com.ua
The U.S. is undergoing a similar transition. There were many statues and other public displays honoring Confederate military members, elevating their treason to level of honor.
The challenge in the U.S. is to preserve history, without honoring criminals. More easily said than done.
In time of War, Ukraine may understandably wish to metaphorically plant a finger in Russia's eye. But attempting to do so in this way is not without long-term risk. The interweaving of Ukraine / Russia coexistence is history Ukraine is obliged to remember. "Banning place names associated with Russia" as the headline states may substantially work against that objective.