Following Russian officials' objections, Google backtracks, begins restoring old names to Crimea cities

Following complaints from Russian government officials, Google says it will restore the old names to settlements throughout Crimea, which the company renamed on Google Maps yesterday, in accordance with the Ukrainian government's “decommunization” campaign.

According to the news agency RBC, a Google representative says the company will restore the previous names to its Russian version of Google Maps.

Earlier today, the head of Russia's Crimean government, Sergei Askyonov, accused Google of trying to “create its own reality.”

On July 27, 2016, Google renamed several settlements in Crimea, whose names Ukraine's parliament changed in accordance with its “decommunization” campaign. After the changes, Google Maps showed cities like Krasnoperekopsk as “Yany Kapu,” Sovetskoe as “Ichki,” and Kirovskoe as “Islyam-Terek.” The names were changed on both Google Maps' Russian and Ukrainian versions

In May 2016, the Verkhovna Rada renamed 70 settlements in Crimea, mostly choosing names of Crimean Tatar origin. The Ukrainian government has not been in control of Crimea since early 2014, following a controversial referendum on seceding from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation. Most of the world does not recognize Russia's subsequent annexation of the territory.