Kharkiv Metro Completes Decade-Long Renaming of Stations.

Kharkiv Metro Station Renaming Project

According to Novyny.live: Since 2015, the Kharkiv Metro—Ukraine's second-largest subway system after Kyiv's—has been systematically renaming its stations. This initiative is part of a national effort to move away from Soviet-era symbols and reflect contemporary social and political values.

The renaming process in Kharkiv began in 2014, with the first change occurring in 2015 when 'Radianska' station was renamed 'Maidan Konstytutsii'. Subsequently, on May 18, 2016, five more stations received new names:

• 'Marshal Zhukova' became 'Palats Sportu' (Sports Palace)
• 'Ploshcha Povstannia' became 'Zakhysnykiv Ukrainy' (Defenders of Ukraine)
• 'Proletarska' became 'Industrialna' (Industrial)
• 'Radianskoi Armii' became 'Armiiska' (Army)
• 'Metrobudivnykiv imeni Vashchenka' was shortened to 'Metrobudivnykiv' (Metro Builders)

Further changes followed on August 12, 2020, when 'Moskovskyi Prospekt' station was renamed 'Turboatom'. The most recent updates were ordered by Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov. On April 29, 2024, two stations were renamed: 'Pushkinska' became 'Yaroslav Mudryi' and 'Pivdennyi Vokzal' became 'Vokzalna'. Finally, on July 27, 2024, three more stations were changed:

• 'Prospekt Haharina' became 'Levada'
• 'Heroiv Pratsi' became 'Saltivska'
• 'Zavod imeni Malysheva' became 'Zavodska' (Factory)

Social and Political Background

These station name changes are a visible part of Ukraine's broader decommunization process, which has been ongoing since 2014. The effort aims to restore historical accuracy and foster new cultural identities aligned with modern societal values. By removing Soviet-era references, the renaming project seeks to strengthen national consciousness among citizens. This process is particularly significant in Kharkiv, a major eastern Ukrainian city with a complex historical relationship to the Soviet past.