Before every tour, at least one guest apologises for saying “Kiev” instead of “Kyiv.” They heard it was wrong. They want to get it right. But they’re not sure why it matters.
It matters. Here’s why.
Two spellings, two languages
“Kiev” is the Russian-language transliteration of the city’s name — Киев (Kyev). It’s the spelling that was standard in Soviet times and that Western media inherited without question.
“Kyiv” is the Ukrainian-language transliteration — Київ (Kyiv). It’s how Ukrainians have always referred to their own capital.
During Soviet rule, the Russian version was imposed across official contexts. When Ukraine regained independence in 1991, the government formally adopted the Ukrainian spelling for official international use. But it took until 2019 — and the pressure of the US government’s “KyivNotKiev” campaign — for major English-language outlets like Reuters, BBC, AP, and the New York Times to update their style guides.
Why this is not pedantry
Language in Ukraine is not neutral. Russian has been used as a tool of cultural and political assimilation for centuries. Soviet policy systematically suppressed Ukrainian language in education, media, and official life. In the 20th century, using Ukrainian in certain contexts was not just socially discouraged — it was dangerous.
The names of Ukrainian cities carry the same politics. Kharkiv vs. Kharkov. Lviv vs. Lvov. Dnipro vs. Dnepropetrovsk (the Soviet name, which included Lenin’s birth name, was only officially changed in 2016). Each of these is a restoration — a returning of the city’s name to the language of the people who actually live there.
What changed in 2022
The full-scale invasion accelerated an already-underway cultural reckoning in Ukraine. Statues of Soviet figures came down. Streets were renamed. Russian-language media largely left the public sphere — not by government decree but by popular choice. Ukrainians who had spoken Russian as their first language switched to Ukrainian.
This is not anti-Russian sentiment in the simplistic sense. It is the assertion of a distinct cultural identity by a people who have had that identity denied, suppressed, and actively erased for generations. It is also, in wartime, a practical act of resistance.
What I ask of visitors
You don’t need to apologise for saying “Kiev.” Most people use the spelling they learned before the conversation changed. But understanding why the spelling matters is part of understanding Ukraine.
A country fighting for its right to exist is also, necessarily, fighting for the right to name itself. Kyiv. Kharkiv. Lviv. These are not editorial preferences. They are acts of sovereignty — and in the current context, of survival.
When you return home and someone says “Kiev,” now you’ll know what to say.