From now on, the city will be identified on Polish maps as (Krolevetsk), on the recommendation of the State Committee on Geographical Names Abroad.
The Kremlin reacted furiously and Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Poland’s move as “a borderline madness operation” that goes beyond Russophobia.
Germany ceded the city, formerly known as Königsberg, to the Soviet Union after World War II.
In 1946 it was renamed Kaliningrad, after Mikhail Kalinin, one of the leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution.
Polish authorities indicate that Kalinin was one of six Soviet officials who ordered the execution of over 21,000 Polish POWs in Katyn and elsewhere in 1940.
Poland said the current name is artificial and has no connection to the city or region, but the old name is part of Poland’s cultural heritage.
The war in neighboring Ukraine has stoked long-running tensions between Russia and Poland, an ally of Kiev that supplies arms to the Ukrainian military and pushes for increased international support for Ukraine.
Recently, Poland has been the target of inflammatory statements by politicians and some public figures in Russia.
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