Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the issue of restoring the historical name Stalingrad to the city of Volgograd should be considered and resolved at the regional level. The statement was made during a meeting with the leaders of the parliamentary factions in the State Duma, APA's Moscow bureau reported, News.bg reports.
“We need to think about it“, Putin stressed, indicating that the decision should depend on the will of the local population and institutions.
The discussion around the renaming intensified after the public movement “Veterans of Russia“ sent a petition to the president calling for Volgograd to regain its old name. According to activists, the name Stalingrad could attract more tourists and enhance the historical significance of the city, known for the decisive battle of World War II.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation also supported the initiative, officially addressing Putin with a similar proposal.
The president has already stated that he does not rule out the possibility of returning the historical name, but only if the majority of Volgograd residents express their agreement through a public discussion or referendum.
Putin previously supported the idea of renaming the city's airport "Stalingrad" as a symbolic gesture to the region's heroic past.
Volgograd has had its current name since 1961, when it was changed as part of the de-Stalinization process in the Soviet Union.