&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Ukraine to replace kopeck coins with ‘shah’ in another bid to break away from Russia")
Ukraine is planning to replace its kopeck coins with “shah”—a historical Ukrainian term as a continued effort to shed symbols of Russian dominance, Central Bank Governor Andriy Pyshnyi announced while expressing hope that the change could be implemented by the end of this year. Ukraine introduced its hryvnia currency in 1996, five years after it gained independence from the Soviet Union, minting its own coins but retaining the former Soviet name kopeck—kopikya in Ukrainian. Now, almost four years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion, new coins, to be known by the historical Ukrainian term “shah”, would mark the latest shift away from Russia.
“We should finally remove any affinity, any connection with Moscow. Because we have our own name. And the time has come to finally take it back,” Pyshnyi said in an interview with Reuters.
Also Read: Indian-origin Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval wins second term, vanquishes JD Vance’s half-brother
He added that of the 15 former Soviet republics, only Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine have retained the kopeck, and he assured that the renaming will involve no additional costs, as the single coin in circulation—equivalent to slightly more than one US cent—would be gradually replaced by the 50-shah coin.
Ukraine’s parliament is preparing to debate the draft law on replacing the coin and the central bank is organising public discussions, exhibitions and other events to raise awareness about the proposal, he said.
Ukrainians shed all associations with Russia
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The shah, which means “step”, was used as a monetary term in Ukraine in the 16th and 17th centuries. Notes named “shah” were also in circulation during the Ukrainian revolution in 1917-1921, Pyshnyi said, displaying bills from that period.
“It is important to say that the kopeck has been retained in only three of the (15) former republics of the Soviet Union. Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine,” Pyshnyi said. The longtime leader of Belarus is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian is a first language for many Ukrainians and the population had a predominantly positive attitude towards Russia in the early 2000s. Some still speak Russian, but the war has prompted many to give up associations with the Russian language and culture, which Moscow says it is fighting to protect.
Hundreds of villages and towns have changed street names, and monuments to Soviet or Russian figures have been dismantled. Memorial plaques to Russian authors, artists, or scientists who visited, worked, or lived in Ukraine have been removed.
Ukrainians, especially younger ones, are rediscovering national history and identity, reclaiming Ukrainian writers, poets, artists, musicians, and other famous figures.
A poll conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in September said that about 91% of Ukrainians have a negative attitude towards Russia, while 4% view it positively.
