Proposals to Rename Volgograd and Saint Petersburg in Russia

Anzhelika Glazkova, a State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF), has submitted a bill to parliament proposing that Volgograd and Saint Petersburg be renamed Stalingrad and Leningrad, reports RIA Novosti. These were the names the cities bore during the Great Patriotic War, a period in which they were awarded the title of "Hero City."

The parliamentarian proposes establishing a legal framework for the status of Russian cities that hold the "Hero City" title. The bill stipulates that such cities must retain the names they held during the Great Patriotic War and prohibits any future renaming.

"The 'Hero Cities' of Volgograd and Saint Petersburg shall revert to the names Stalingrad and Leningrad, respectively, within one year of this federal law’s entry into force. All documents issued to individuals or legal entities in the cities of Saint Petersburg and Volgograd—as provided for under the legislation of the Russian Federation—shall remain valid until they are replaced in accordance with established legal procedures," the bill’s supporting documentation states.

As the author of the initiative notes, both cities were granted the prestigious "Hero City" title by an order issued by Joseph Stalin on May 1, 1945.

"It would be quite strange to speak of a 'blockade of Saint Petersburg' or a 'Battle of Volgograd.' Yet, the heroism displayed by the defenders and residents of Leningrad is known throughout the world. Furthermore, the Battle of Stalingrad represents a decisive turning point in the course of the entire Second World War—a fact recognized globally," the explanatory memorandum emphasizes.