Boris Nemtsov and the space that will be named after him

• AS a family living in Camden, we want to express our support for a very welcome initiative: to dedicate a place in Camden to Boris Nemtsov, a leading Russian pro-democracy campaigner, who was assassinated in Moscow in 2015, (Camden set to name Highgate road after Russian pro-democracy campaigner Boris Nemtsov, October 14).

We both collaborated with Nemtsov, albeit at different periods in time. One of us helped him to launch a grassroots movement during the romantic period of Russia’s civil society in the 1990s, and the other co-organised mass protests alongside Nemtsov against Vladimir Putin’s power grab in the 2010s.

Many cities around the world have named streets and squares after Nemtsov. Tellingly one of those cities is Kyiv.

Nemtsov was an outspoken friend of Ukraine who vocally supported the Euromaidan Revolution. It may sound unbelievable now, but we remember him leading tens of thousands of protesters with Ukrainian flags in central Moscow against the military invasion. Not surprisingly he remains a unique Russian political leader fondly remembered in Ukraine.

Camden has named streets after those who fought oppression before. For instance, we have Mandela Street in Camden Town.

It is, therefore, a timely initiative to commemorate a person who sacrificed his life trying to prevent the brutality of an imperial war. Boris Nemtsov Place would celebrate the legacy of a courageous leader and give hope to future generations of freedom advocates.

PETER KAZNACHEEV
& VERA KICHANOVA, NW1