Residents and deputies in St. Petersburg’s Frunzensky district are embroiled in a dispute over a proposed new name for municipal district No. 72. The controversy arose after deputies solicited suggestions for a new name through the district’s VKontakte group.

The selection process has been marred by allegations of voter manipulation. The “Nikolsky” option, which quickly gained traction, has raised concerns due to suspected coordinated voting by individuals possibly linked to public sector employment. Accusations of bot activity further complicated the situation, leading to the deletion of the initial poll.

The proposed name, “Nikolsky,” has been met with resistance from some residents and local historians. While proponents cite a connection to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and a local church, critics argue that the name lacks historical ties to the specific territory of municipality No. 72. Local historian Leonid Kharitonov emphasizes that the name aligns better with the Volkovsky municipality due to the presence of the Nikolaev cemetery.

Despite the ongoing debate, the municipality maintains that no final decision has been made. Deputy head of the municipality, Maxim Voronin, stated that the process is multi-staged, involving proposal collection, working group review, and consultations with the Toponymic Commission and deputies. Voronin acknowledged the disrupted online voting but assured that a thorough investigation into the name’s toponymic relevance will be conducted.

The situation is further complicated by past experiences, particularly the renaming of neighboring district No. 75 to Alexandrovsky in 2020, which was justified by its historical connection to Prince Alexander Nevsky. This precedent highlights the importance of aligning a district’s name with its historical and cultural identity. The current dispute in district No. 72 underscores the challenges and potential controversies involved in renaming municipal entities.