Part of Bayswater Road has been renamed Kyiv Road to honour the ‘struggle of embattled nation’ on the first anniversary of the Ukraine conflict.
Kyiv Road was named on Friday on a stretch of the W2 artery between Palace Court and Ossington Street, just opposite the Russian Embassy on Kensington Palace Gardens.
The naming of a street after the Ukrainian capital fulfils the Labour Council’s pledge to rename a street after Ukraine after taking office last May.
Council leader Adam Hug said that Kyiv Road would follow in a long tradition of roads in London named after key historical moments and figures.
He said: “The request for a new place name has come from the Ukrainian community itself. Westminster is home to Ukrainians displaced by the war, and our residents have opened their hearts and their doors to those fleeing Putin’s war machine.
“As the centre of an international capital, it seemed to us entirely fitting that part of the City should carry a torch for the unbowed defenders of Ukraine. It’s a small stretch of road, but we want to show the people of Ukraine that their struggle has a visible place in our city.”
The new 121ft road will be located just before Bayswater Road becomes Wellington Terrace and then Notting Hill Gate, with both St Petersburg Place and Moscow Road nearby.
To mark the change, Marble Arch will be coloured yellow and blue, the colours of the Ukrainian flag, on Friday night. The flag will also fly above Westminster City Council.
Meanwhile, protest group Led by Donkeys painted the section of road outside Russia’s embassy the Ukrainian colours on Thursday.
Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Vadym Prystaiko, also praised the new street.
He said: “Kyiv Road is a symbol of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a tribute to their unwavering spirit in the face of aggression. It is a reminder that the struggle of Ukraine has the attention of the international community.
“We are grateful to the Westminster City Council and its residents for their support in honouring our nation’s capital and its brave defenders.”
The costs for the new street will be borne out of the existing ward budget.
Image: Westminster City Council.