Russian Authorities in Occupied Mariupol Introduce New City Flag and Arms

FEBRUARY 3, 2025 — Today, Russian authorities in Mariupol, a Ukrainian city occupied during the Russian invasion, introduced a new city flag and coat of arms, replacing the previous designs with a minimalist white-and-blue color scheme, 0629.com.ua reports.

The changes, announced by Oleg Morgun, head of the city’s administration, remove references to the city’s historical and linguistic diversity.

According to Russian media, Morgun stated that the new symbols were developed by specialists based on previous Mariupol coat of arms.

The white-and-blue color scheme represents Mariupol’s location on the shores of the Sea of Azov and its historical founding by Greek settlers in the late 18th century, he explained. The silver (white) color also symbolizes the city’s metallurgical industry, while the anchor reflects Mariupol’s status as a major port.

The previous coat of arms was adopted in 1989. The new design removes the original coat of arms’ gold, blue, and silver color scheme, replacing it with a simplified white-and-blue combination. The sea waves in the emblem have been replaced with a straight line.

The new flag follows the same approach, effectively stretching the coat of arms into a rectangular shape without additional elements.

The previous version featured a golden wreath adorned with a ribbon displaying the city’s name in three languages symbolizing the city’s multicultural past, including inscriptions in Ukrainian, Greek, and Russian, as well as a cross and crescent symbol referencing Mariupol’s historic coat of arms. These details have been removed, along with the red-and-gold border that framed the original design. Additionally, the founding date of the city has been removed.

Image: 0629.com.ua