Poland sparks Russian anger as it begins changing Kaliningrad road signs to Królewiec
Russia has accused Poland of ‘madness’ after it began changing road signs for the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to Królewiec, the region’s name when it was ruled by the Kingdom of Poland in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Earlier this week, Poland's General Directorate for National Roads and Highways (GDDKiA) initiated the replacement of the first road signs in the towns of Dywity and Dobre Miasto as well as in Wozławki and Lutry.
Posting on Twitter, the Ministry of Infrastructure said: “The first signs are already leading to Królewiec. We have just started replacing the boards so that they have Polish name Królewiec, not Kaliningrad.
The change comes after the Commission for Standardization of Geographical Names decided to use only the Polish name for the city.
Posting on Twitter, the Ministry of Infrastructure said: “📣 The first signs are already leading to Królewiec. 🚗 We have just started replacing the boards so that they have 🇵🇱 name - #Królewiec, not #Kaliningrad.
The Polish government says the move aims to prevent an unwanted process of Russification on its borders.
The region was named Królewiec when it was ruled by the Kingdom of Poland in the 15th and 16th centuries. Pictured: The act of surrendering the Prussian estates to King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland and the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, April 15, 1454.
“In total, by mid-June, @GDDKiA will correct 26 characters in the province Warmińsko-Mazurskie.”
Now Kremlin officials have hit out at the move.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, described it as "the madness of Poland's hatred of the Russians." While Dmitry Medvedev, a close associate of Putin and former Russian president, labeled the Poles as Russophobes.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, described it as "the madness of Poland's hatred of the Russians."
Dmitry Medvedev said: "Well, then there is no Krakow for them, only Krakau; no Gdańsk, only Danzig; no Szczecin, only Stettin; no Poznań, only Posin; no Wrocław, only Breslau. The list can go on and on.”
Posting on social media, he said: "Well, then there is no Krakow for them, only Krakau; no Gdańsk, only Danzig; no Szczecin, only Stettin; no Poznań, only Posin; no Wrocław, only Breslau. The list can go on and on.
“And of course, no Poland, only the Duchy of Warsaw, i.e., the Kingdom of Poland, which is part of the Russian Federation, as the successor of the Russian Empire."
For the Polish government, the move aims to prevent what it sees as an unwanted process of Russification on its borders.
