The draft changes to the Ukrainian Constitution, concerning decentralization, propose significant changes to the country's administrative-territorial structure.

Under a bill of changes to the Ukrainian Constitution (regarding power decentralization) and supporting documentation, posted on the website of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, it was proposed to change, among other things, Article 133 of the Fundamental Law.

Whereas currently the Ukrainian administrative-territorial system consists of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, regions, districts, cities, city districts, towns and villages, the draft changes propose that Ukraine should consist of hromadas (communities), districts and regions. (Another name for the medium-level administrative-territorial unit proposed earlier to replace 'district' was 'povit' (county)).

"Ukrainian territory is divided into hromadas. Hromada is the primary unit in the Ukrainian administrative-territorial system. Several communities constitute a district. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and regions are the regions of Ukraine," the document reads.

In addition, "the formation, removal, establishment and alteration of borders, the naming and renaming of hromadas, districts, regions, as well as the formation, naming, renaming and categorizing of villages [towns and cities] shall be determined by the law," while the altering of borders and the naming and renaming of communities and settlements shall be carried out with due regard for the opinion of their residents in a manner provided by the law.