Two State Duma deputies criticized bills to rename cities in Chechnya.

General Vladimir Shamanov, a veteran of the Chechen wars, expressed outrage that the renaming of Cossack villages in Chechnya is an erasure of historical memory after the republic's Russian-speaking population was expelled. Deputy Anzhelika Glazkova pointed out that the renaming in heavily subsidized Chechnya will be carried out at the expense of Russian taxpayers.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," on September 25, State Duma deputy from Chechnya Shamsail Saraliev introduced bills to rename three Chechen cities, which the deputies approved in the first reading. Prior to this, in May, the government commission on legislative activity supported bills to rename three Chechen cities, prepared by the republic's parliament. In June, the Chechen parliament introduced three bills to the State Duma to rename settlements. The city of Sernovodskoye has been proposed for renaming to Sernovodsk, the city of Naurskaya to Nevre, and Shelkovskaya to Terek. The State Duma's relevant committee recommended that deputies adopt in the first reading bills proposed by Chechen authorities to rename three cities in the republic.

General and State Duma deputy Vladimir Shamanov (United Russia) expressed outrage at the plan to rename Cossack villages in Chechnya. This occurred at a State Duma meeting.

"In the Chechen Republic, they are proposing to [rename] Cossack villages that have their own historical names. Not only did they first kick out the Russian-speaking population, but now they are erasing their names. This is the history of our state. What are you doing, I ask you?!" RBK quoted him as saying.

Vladimir Shamanov participated in both Chechen campaigns. He arrived in the republic in March 1995. In October of that year, he was appointed deputy commander of the Russian Ministry of Defense's regional force, and in 1999, commander of the 58th Army of the North Caucasus Military District (NCMD). At that time, he participated in repelling the Chechen militant invasion of Dagestan. Until March 2000, he served as commander of the Western Front of the federal forces in the North Caucasus. Under his command, the military liberated the Achkhoy-Martan and Urus-Martan districts of Chechnya and reached Grozny in October 1999, Kommersant reports.

CPRF Deputy Anzhelika Glazkova stated that Chechnya is a "deeply subsidized region" and that not only residents of the republic itself, "but also taxpayers of the Russian Federation," will pay for the renaming of settlements, according to a fragment of the plenary session published by Ksenia Sobchak on her Telegram channel.

State Duma Deputy from Chechnya Shamsail Saraliev called the renaming costs "insignificant," according to the broadcast.

As a reminder, the decision to rename the village of Naurskaya to the city of Nevre was made on October 2, 2024, when the Naursky Municipal District Council approved the decision. Such renaming damages the spiritual heritage of the Cossacks, analysts have stated.

23:09 06.09.2025

Kadyrov's decision violated Grozny street renaming rules

The head of Chechnya announced today the renaming of a Grozny street in honor of Lieutenant General Esedullah Abachev, who was seriously wounded in a military operation in Ukraine. Decisions on renaming must be made by the Grozny Duma, subject to the support of local residents.

The campaign to change toponyms in Chechnya has been ongoing for several years. On December 10, 2020, authorities conducted a survey of Grozny residents asking for their consent to renaming all four city districts and eight inner-city settlements in honor of national heroes. Specifically, it was proposed to rename the Leninsky District of Grozny to Akhmatovsky (in honor of Ramzan Kadyrov's father), Oktyabrsky to Baysangurovsky, Zavodskoy to Sheikh-Mansurovsky, and Staropromyslovsky to Visaitovsky. On December 29, 2020, Ramzan Kadyrov announced that 69.68% of voters took part in the vote and supported the proposal, in particular, renaming the Leninsky District to Akhmatovsky District. 98.07% of respondents supported it.

Based on the survey, the Grozny village of Gikalo was named after Zhamalayli Elikhanov, Prigorodnoye - after Sheikh Iznaur Neserkhoyev, the village of Rodina - after Hussein Isayev, the Third State Farm was renamed to the village named after Sheikh Deni Arsanov, the village of Michurin - after Sheikh Daud-Khadzhi Khadzhimusayev, Solenaya Balka - Darban-Khi, the 30th precinct - Suyr-Kort, The town of Ivanovo is now named after Dadin Aibiki. Many names in Chechnya are associated with the cult of Chechen President Akhmat Kadyrov, which began to develop immediately after his death in 2004. Among the names given to the elder Kadyrov are an avenue in Grozny and Ramzan Kadyrov's home village of Akhmat-Yurt in the Kurchaloyevsky District. Moreover, the main sports complex in Grozny, a mosque in the capital of Chechnya, and a number of sports clubs in the republic, in particular, the Terek football club, are named after Akhmat Kadyrov.

Years ofruling Chechnya allowed Ramzan Kadyrov to build a total family cult: leadership positions, key positions, awards, and names in honor of relatives – all of this confirms the course of the "Akhmatization" of Chechnya, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "In the name of the father and son: how the Kadyrov cult is being implanted in Chechnya".