Ukraine Renames 103 Courts in Decommunization Push, Law Signed by Zelenskyy

Ukraine passed a law on the decommunization of courts. In four regions of the south of the country, 20 institutions were renamed.

This is evidenced by the Law of Ukraine "On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges" on changing the name of local general courts.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 4273-IX "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine 'On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges' on Changing the Names of Local General Courts". The Verkhovna Rada adopted this law on February 26, 2025. It is aimed at bringing the names of local courts in line with the legislation on decommunization, protection of the state language and the modern administrative and territorial structure of the country.

The document provides for renaming 103 local general courts throughout Ukraine. Importantly, the change of names will not lead to their reorganization, liquidation or creation of new judicial institutions.

The law comes into force on April 25, 2025, 30 days after its official publication.

In particular, courts in Mykolaiv region have been renamed:

• Yuzhnoukrainskyi City Court will become the South Ukrainian City Court;
• Zhovtnevyi District Court will change its name to Vitovskyi District Court;
• Leninsky District Court of Mykolaiv will be renamed Ingulsky District Court.

Odesa region:

• Illichivsk City Court will become Chornomorsk City Court;
• Yuzhne City Court will be renamed Yuzhne City Court;
• Kotovskyi City District Court will be renamed Podilskyi City District Court;
• Krasnooknyansky District Court will become the Oknyansky District Court;
• Kominternivskyi District Court will change its name to Dobroslavskyi District Court;
• Frunzivskyi District Court will be renamed Zakharovskyi District Court;
• Malynovskyi District Court of Odesa will be renamed Khadzhibeyskyi District Court;
• Suvorovskyi District Court of Odesa will become Peresypskyi District Court.

In Kherson region:

• Tsyurupinsky District Court will be renamed Oleshkivsky District Court;
• Suvorovsky District Court of Kherson will become the Central District Court of the city;
• Komsomolsky District Court of Kherson will be renamed Korabelny District Court.

Six courts in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will also be renamed:

• Kirovsky District Court will become Islamteretsky District Court;
• Krasnogvardeyskiy District Court will be renamed Kurmanskiy District Court;
• Krasnoperekopsk City District Court will be renamed Perekopsk City District Court;
• Leninsky District Court will be renamed Yedikuysky District Court;
• Pervomaisky District Court will change its name to Dzhurchansky District Court;
• Sovetsky District Court will become Ichkinsky District Court.

The adoption of this law is an important step in the process of decommunization and modernization of Ukraine's judicial system.

The author of the legislative initiative was Denys Maslov, Chairman of the Legal Policy Committee. The changes apply to the courts of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol and 17 regions of Ukraine, including Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Dnipro and Kharkiv. The renaming is part of a comprehensive reform of the country's judicial system.

In January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine published a list of geographical entities to be renamed in Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson regions and the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea. In particular, it is planned to change the names of 22 objects in Crimea, 17 in Mykolaiv region, 20 in Odesa, and 15 in Kherson region.

Анна Бальчінос