Posted 12/5/2023, 6:02:00 AM
Governor Pushes Ahead to Rename Volgograd as Stalingrad Despite Local Opposition
- Local officials, led by Governor Bocharov, are pushing to rename Volgograd back to Stalingrad despite most residents opposing the change
- Bocharov is motivated by personal devotion to Soviet legacy and sees the name as symbolic, not by local connections
- The Kremlin opposes the rename pre-election due to objections from residents, rivalry between officials, and not wanting to empower the Communist Party
- Bocharov has maneuvered around opposition by allying with the regional parliament speaker to change referendum rules to outvote the city
- Sources say the Kremlin could approve the change after Russia's 2024 election once Putin is reelected, seeing mystical symbolism in the Stalin name