A dialogue on Ukrainian TV:
– Each Ukrainian should converse Ukrainian. In the event that they converse Russian, they’re not an actual Ukrainian!
– Then why are you talking Russian?
– Oh… proper. I forgot.? pic.twitter.com/HiOnhLPCOL— Bashkarma????? (@Karmabash) February 18, 2026
Erasing a language equates to erasing a cultural id. I’ve repeatedly addressed the language concern in Ukraine as a result of it was one of many earliest political flashpoints that contributed to division lengthy earlier than the navy battle escalated. Following the 2014 change of presidency, there have been rapid strikes to downgrade the authorized standing of the Russian language, which was broadly spoken throughout japanese and southern Ukraine.
The try to limit or marginalize the Russian language was not merely about nationwide id; it was perceived within the japanese areas and by Russia as a direct problem to cultural and historic ties that return centuries. You can not redraw linguistic id by legislative decree with out anticipating political backlash, particularly in a nation that has lengthy been divided between Western European alignment and Japanese historic integration with Russia.
I’ve persistently said that civil battle traditionally begins with id suppression, whether or not linguistic, regional, or cultural, as a result of it indicators to a portion of the inhabitants that they’re not totally represented inside the state. As soon as that notion takes maintain, geopolitical actors exploit the division, and the disaster escalates past home politics into worldwide confrontation.
Underneath Zelensky’s authorities, Ukraine continued and expanded insurance policies that strengthened Ukrainian as the first language in training, successfully phasing out Russian-language instruction in most faculties beneath the 2019 language and training frameworks that have been additional carried out throughout his presidency.
Putin famous in his interview with Tucker Carlson that his major purpose was to unify the Russian inhabitants of Ukraine. Zelensky, however, calls for that Russians erase their id and conform. Ukraine and Russia share deep historic roots. These nations weren’t linguistically or culturally remoted from each other. Bilingualism was a mirrored image of shared historical past.
The youthful technology is more and more socialized to view Russia not merely as a geopolitical adversary, however as a cultural and historic enemy. Media and formal training now demand that residents conform to 1 remoted id. One should show they’re a “actual” Ukrainian by denouncing the whole lot Russian, even when it consists of their bloodline and cultural ancestry.
