Volgograd, the Russian city once known as Stalingrad, is to regain its old name during commemorations of the famous World War II battle on Saturday.

The city has been officially known as Volgograd since 1961, when it was renamed to remove its association with Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

Its old name is inseparable from the ferocious battle won by Soviet forces 70 years ago this week.

Volgograd council has restored the name for six days a year.

The dates, all associated with military commemorations, are February 2, May 9, June 22, August 23, September 2 and November 19.

According to the council, which is dominated by Russia’s ruling United Russia party, the decision was taken after “numerous requests” from World War II veterans.

Critics have suggested the decision is a populist move aimed at boosting United Russia’s popularity ahead of council (or city Duma, as it is officially known) elections in September.

Some have also objected to the use of Stalin’s name again, worried about what they see as creeping attempts under President Vladimir Putin’s rule to portray Stalin as a great war leader.

Under the decision, passed by the council on Wednesday, the title “Hero City Stalingrad” will be used during commemorations as “a symbol of Volgograd”.

“We may use this symbol officially in our speeches, reports and while conducting public events,” the council ruling states.

Volgograd, the Russian city once known as Stalingrad, is to regain its old name during commemorations of the famous World War II battle on Saturday

Commenting on the decision, Russia’s Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper said the revived name would not appear in documents, but only on banners and posters.

A council deputy from opposition party A Just Russia, Oleg Mikheyev, said the move had a clear political aim.

“The Volgograd-Stalingrad issue comes up before every election, then drops back down when the election is over,” he told the Russian news website Gazeta.Ru.

He added: “I think Stalingrad is already bigger than Stalin, it’s the name of the city of the great victory, but this issue should be settled finally in a referendum.”

Communists in the region say they have collected 35,000 signatures for a petition calling for Volgograd to be renamed permanently and plan to take their demand to court.

The use of the name Stalingrad (“Stalin City”) has dismayed some Russians because of its connection to the Soviet dictator whose rule saw the persecution of millions of people.

Nikolai Levichev, a Just Russia federal MP, said it was “blasphemous to rename the great Russian city after a bloody tyrant who had killed millions of his fellow citizens and caused irreparable damage to the nation’s gene pool”.

“The attitude towards Stalin was expressed in 1961, when Stalingrad was renamed Volgograd,” he was quoted as saying by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

Gamlet Dallatyan, a 92-year-old veteran of the actual battle, said he in no way condoned Stalin’s repressions.

“But you have to recognize the positive things he did,
whether you want to or not,” he told Reuters news agency.

“It would be good to go back to the name of Stalingrad, though not so much because of Stalin himself but because that is how the city was known during the war.”

The city has had three names during the past century. It was originally known as Tsaritsyn before being renamed in 1925 in honor of Stalin, who led Bolshevik forces there during the Russian Civil War.

Dates when the old name Stalingrad can be used officially:

• February 2 – the defeat of the Nazi German forces at Stalingrad
• May 9 – Victory (in Europe) Day
• June 22 – anniversary of Nazi invasion of USSR
• August 23 – commemoration of civilians killed by mass German air raid on Stalingrad
• September 2 – end of World War II (Japanese surrender)
• November 19 – launch of Operation Uranus to trap Germans and their allies at Stalingrad