DISINFO: Ukraine forbids 40% of the people to speak Russian
SUMMARY
What happened in Ukraine happened because Ukraine forbids 40% of the people to speak their native language.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine and discrimination against Russian speakers. According to the latest survey, 27% of Ukrainian citizens use the Russian language in their everyday communication; the Ukrainian language is preferred by 51% of Ukrainians and 21% are bilingual. On April 25 2019, the Verkhovna Rada passed the law 'on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language'. The law establishes mandatory use of the Ukrainian language in most areas of public and communal life, including the mass media, education, science, etc. However, the law does not forbid the use of Russian, or other languages, in private communication and religious ceremonies. Moreover, Russian and other languages can be present in book publishing, the press, including radio and television, education and the service sector. The law also allows the use of other languages in the healthcare system and law enforcement. In addition to this, the law stipulates that in accordance with the European Charter for Regional Languages and Languages of National Minorities, the government should develop a law safeguarding language-rights of the minorities within six months of the language law entering into force.