Officials in Volgograd plan to move carefully on whether to seek a referendum about restoring the city’s historical name. A spokesman for the Volgograd Regional Duma, Alexander Bloshkin, set expectations during a press briefing on Monday, March 27, that no rapid decision would be reached. He warned that a decision today or within a week was unlikely, and that a referendum is not anticipated after two months, including not on Single Voting Day in September.
Earlier, Alexander Strukov, who chairs the Volgograd City Veterans Assembly and co-chairs the people’s council, signaled openness to gauging public sentiment on this issue. He indicated that a referendum poll could be conducted as part of the inquiry to assess views on restoring the city’s historic name.
Strukov described how initiative groups would begin polling in the districts to measure attitudes. He stated that volunteers would start in the neighborhoods to survey opinions and that by the end of the week a clearer picture should emerge. The plan involves collecting feedback through meetings with local institutions across the city.
opposition to the move
In February, VTsIOM published poll results showing that roughly two-thirds of Volgograd residents opposed renaming the city to Stalingrad. Respondents cited cost concerns, with 21 percent pointing to expenses; 12 percent argued the renaming was illogical; and 11 percent felt there was no need to dwell on the past. About 26 percent supported the idea, while 7 percent remained undecided. The figures were summarized in a press release from the research body.
The issue has a longer history. In November 2022, representatives of the Volgograd Regional Veterans Organization asked Governor Andrei Bocharov to restore the historical name. The governor replied that such a change would require a referendum. Historically, Volgograd was founded in 1589 and bore the name Tsaritsyn until 1925, then Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961. In 2014, President Vladimir Putin indicated that the region should decide domestically via a referendum.
a discussion about Lugansk
Meanwhile, supporters in the All-Russian People’s Movement Veterans of Russia urged restoring Lugansk to its historic name Voroshilovgrad. They sent a letter to the acting head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, and cited frontline volunteers who reportedly favor a permanent renaming to Voroshilovgrad. The movement explains that the city was named Voroshilovgrad in honor of Soviet military leader Kliment Voroshilov, with the name in use from 1935 to 1957. It later changed to Lugansk to avoid naming a living statesman and only returned to a predecessor name after Voroshilov’s death in 1970, until 1990 when that older designation was restored.
These discussions illustrate how regional histories and political symbolism continue to shape debates about naming — locally and beyond. Observers note that any change involves political, cultural, and financial considerations, as well as the practicalities of how residents identify with their city’s history. The conversations in Volgograd and Lugansk reflect broader questions about memory, heritage, and the role of place names in contemporary civic life. (RT) (All-Russian People’s Movement authorities).