Russia. Vladimir Putin restored the name of the Stalingrad airport

Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed a decree on giving an international airport in the city of Volgograd the historical name Stalingrad. Veterans and participants of aggression on Ukraine were to ask for it.

In the Russian government regulation, which was signed on Tuesday by Prime Minister Michail Miszustin, it was stated that the decision aims to “restore the historical name” of the Volgograd airport.

Also on Tuesday the Russian leader Vladimir Putin He signed a decree, where the phrase: “In order to consolidate the victory of the Soviet nation in the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1945, I decide to give the international airport in Volgograd the historical name of Stalingrad.” The content of the decree shows that the current name of this Gumrak facility will also be used.

After meeting the governor

Vladimir Putin signed a decree after a Tuesday visit to Volgograd, where he met with the governor of the region, Andriej Boczariov. The official told Putin that “he received many requests from the city's inhabitants, circuit and other regions who asked to restore the airport 'true, proud, brave and heroic name Stalingrad'.

The initiators of the change are to be veterans and participants of the so -called special military operation in Ukraine (propaganda date of armed invasion – ed.).

– Their word is a law to me. This is how we will do: as soon as I return to Moscow, the appropriate decree will be prepared and signed – about giving the airport the name of Stalingrad – Putin answered.

The Gumrak airport in Volgograd was founded in 1952 on the basis of a military airport of the same name. A special place in its history is taken by the Stalingrad Battle (1942–1943), when the object was under the control of the Nazi troops and was used by Luftwaffe as a strategic object. After the liberation of the city in February 1943, the airport served Soviet Air Force, later becoming the base for a civil airport – he reminded the history of the Airport Independent Russian -speaking portal Moscow Times.

Discussions about changing the name of the city

Moscow Times wrote that for many years the subject of discussion in Russian society is also a change in the name of the city of Wołgograd to Stalingrad, which was in force in 1925-1961.

In 2023, the city authorities adopted amendments to regional laws, which enabled the initiation of changes in geographical names based on the will of the inhabitants. However, this idea did not meet with broad social support. According to the results pollpublished at the same time, over 67 percent of the inhabitants of Volgograd objected to the restoration of the city of the name Stalingrad. 26 percent of respondents supported the restoration of the former name from Stalinist times, “wrote Moscow Times. Four percent of the inhabitants then decided that Volgograd should return to the former name, tsarcin, in force until 1925.

The Stalingrad Battle lasted from August 1942 to February 1943. Contributed to the Nazi defeat German 1st victory of the USSR in the fighting on the Eastern Front during World War II.