Pro-communists in Yakutia are gearing up for a legal proceedings on Lenin Plaza
The ongoing legal battle over the partial renaming of Lenin Square in Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha Republic, is set to begin soon. This case has been initiated by the Yakut branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), following a decision made by the deputies of the Yakutsk City Duma on February 26, 2023, to rename part of the square.
The first secretary of the Yakut branch of the CPRF, Victor Gubarev, has been vocal about his opposition to the renaming, stating that such decisions represent Russophobia and anti-Soviet sentiment. He believes that the consequences of such actions cannot be ignored. Gubarev has also pointed out previous instances where Soviet-era names have been changed, such as the renaming of Churapcha's Karl Marx Street to Pavel Pinigin and Yakovlev Street to Egor Borisov Street.
The CPRF's lawsuit was filed with the Supreme Court of Yakutia in response to the partial renaming. Two preliminary hearings have already taken place, and the court has finally agreed to hear the case. The eastern part of Lenin Square will be renamed Republic Square, while the western part will retain its original name.
The preparation of the lawsuit took almost six months, and it is not clear at this point whether the Yakut communists are ready to use this opportunity and push for a full reversal of the decision. Some reports suggest that they have formal chances of winning the case, but the final outcome remains uncertain.
It is worth noting that the public opinion on the renaming of Lenin Square seems to be divided. While the deputies of the Yakutsk City Duma voted in favour of the renaming by a majority, over 100 comments were received in response to the article in the "Yakutsk Vecherny" newspaper, with over 70% opposing the renaming.
The ongoing debate over Lenin-named streets in Russia reflects the ongoing debates over Soviet legacy symbols in different regions. Yakutsk, as a regional capital, has its own political dynamics, with communist groups advocating for the preservation of Soviet-era names in some cases.
However, the current rhetoric and actions of the CPRF in Yakutia and across the country suggest more opportunism and conformism. Further targeted research in Russian-language regional news or legal databases would be necessary to assess the chances and readiness of Yakut communists regarding this partial renaming case.
[1] General knowledge up to mid-2025: Russia has thousands of streets named after Lenin, reflecting his historical significance and ongoing debates over Soviet legacy symbols in different regions.
- The legal battle over Lenin Square's partial renaming in Yakutsk, a political issue, is gaining traction and may have far-reaching implications for general-news topics such as the preservation of Soviet-era names in Russia.
- Crime-and-justice matters intersect with the ongoing Lenin Square renaming case in Yakutia, as the Yakut branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) has taken the issue to court, citing it as a representative of Russophobia and anti-Soviet sentiment.
