At first, the idea was to change the name of the street where the Russian embassy is located.

But now the Stockholm City Planning Board has instead decided that part of Mariebergsparken - which is located next to the embassy - will be renamed.

The name?

Free place of Ukraine.

According to Stockholm's Finance Minister Anna König Jerlmyr (M), the purpose is to show solidarity with the invaded Ukraine.

- But it is also a way to direct our disgust at the Russian regime, she says.

Is there not a risk that this will be seen as a provocation against the embassy?

- I think that is part of the purpose.

We want to show our dissatisfaction and our criticism of Russia's actions.

Very unusual

Since the war broke out in February, similar name changes have appeared around Europe.

In the capital of Lithuania, the street where the Russian embassy is located has been named "Ukrainian Heroes' Street" and in Oslo, the Russian embassy's employees have had a view of an intersection renamed "Ukraine Square".

But that it happens in Sweden is very unusual, according to Dan Hallemar, architectural writer and active with the podcast "The City" which deals with, among other things, urban issues.

- In Sweden, there is a relatively calm and stable history internally and this with naming has not been noticed so much more than that there may have been an "Olof's Palmes Square" that changed its name.

But to turn outwards towards the world and include it in its naming is not something that has been done, he says.

The reason for doing so only now, says König Jerlemyr (M), is because the war has come to Europe.

- We must be careful about changing the names of places and streets.

But when a European country is invaded in this way and we see something we have not seen since the Second World War - then there is reason to change our practice, she says.

Strong symbol value

But what good is a name change in a park?

According to Dan Hallemar, name changes of this character have a lasting symbolic value.

- A demonstration on Monday is gone on Tuesday.

Such a name change is buried in the ground, in the city.

And we are reminded of it all the time, so it gets a very strong symbolic value.

The cultural news has contacted the Russian embassy for a comment.