DECOLONIZATION OF URBAN SPACE OF ZAPORIZHZHIA (2014–2023 РР.): INFORMATIONAL AND COGNITIVE DYNAMICS OF SOCIETY

This article examines the processes of decolonization, derussification, and decommunization of urban space of Zaporizhzhia from 2014 to 2023. The influence of public sentiment, cultural changes, and legal acts on the transformation of urban objects is analyzed with special attention. During the study, there are under consideration the dynamics of toponym renaming, the dismantling of Soviet-era monuments, and the overcoming of imperial heritage in public space. Special attention is paid to the relationship between the processes of decommunization and national security, since the decolonization of the urban environment is an important element in countering Russian propaganda and restoring national identity. The article contains an analysis of the legal framework, including laws adopted in 2015 and 2023, which contributed to the purification of public space from totalitarian symbols, along with monitoring of the information space with the help of the Brand24 program regarding indicators of representation and popularization of this topic in the media. In the conclusions, the authors emphasize the importance of decolonization processes for the formation of a new national memory and restoration of historical justice in the context of European integration aspirations of Ukraine. Prospects for further research are focused on the analysis of social and cultural changes caused by these processes.