DISINFO: Kyiv oppresses Russian culture at West’s command
SUMMARY
With the encouragement of the West, the Ukrainian junta has long been oppressing those in Ukraine who want to be part of Russian culture.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media, claiming that Ukraine is a Russophobic country and that the alleged Nazi junta ruling there persecutes ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainians. This claim was made to justify Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
In reality, Ukraine is not Russophobic and does not oppress or suppress those of its citizens who belong to Russian culture. Ethnic Russians, who comprise approximately 17 per cent of its overall population, enjoy the same rights as other Ukrainian citizens regardless of their ethnic origin. Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution guarantee the free development of the languages and cultures of Ukraine’s ethnic minorities. Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations make it closer to European democratic values, which means that the West does not encourage any Russophobic sentiments in Ukraine. European values suppose respect for the rights of all citizens. Ukrainian law does not forbid the use of Russian nor any other languages in private communication and religious ceremonies, as well as in book publishing, the press, including radio and television, education and the service sector.
Furthermore, Ukraine is a signatory to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, which guarantees that people in Ukraine have the right: "to use freely and without interference his or her minority language, in private and in public, orally and in writing."
Read more disinformation narratives about Ukraine allegedly perpetrating genocide against Russians and claiming that the West is fostering Russophobia.