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British Embassy in Moscow
Photo: Anton Denisov / SNA / IMAGO
The measure is only symbolic - but should in no way improve the already tense relations with London: Russia's capital Moscow wants to rename a square in front of the British embassy in honor of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, which it says has recently been conquered.
In an online survey, the majority of Muscovites voted in favor of this location in order to dedicate it to the "Luhansk People's Republic", the city administration announced.
At the end of February, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin recognized Luhansk and the neighboring region of Donetsk as independent “people's republics” in the face of great international protest.
A few days later he had Russian troops invade the neighboring country.
Ukraine lost control over Luhansk region
After more than four months of war, the Ukrainian army had to withdraw from the strategically important city of Lysychansk last weekend - and thus effectively lost control of the entire Luhansk region.
Moscow had already announced in June that a square in front of the US Embassy would be renamed in honor of the "Donetsk People's Republic".
There was also an online survey at the time.
However, Russian media critical of the Kremlin reported that some public sector employees were said to have been pressured to vote.
As the Reuters news agency reported, the organizers in Moscow initially made a faux pas when renaming the address at the US embassy.
Accordingly, the name "Square of the Defenders of Donbass" was initially discussed.
The US Embassy took this as a tribute to Ukrainian fighters in the region and welcomed the change.
The now chosen name »People's Square of the Donetsk Republic«, on the other hand, reveals Russia's intention to integrate the conquered areas into its own national territory.
fek/dpa/Reuters