Youth increasingly rejecting Ukrainian language – commissioner
Kiev is facing difficulties promoting the use of Ukrainian in everyday life, according to Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremen.
Posting on his official website, the official raised concerns about the state policy of expanding the use of the country’s only constitutionally recognized language, especially among the youth.
“Unfortunately, this year has shown signs of a slowdown in Ukrainization,” Kremen said. According to him, only 37% of students speak the state language with friends, and just 39% use it at home. He also noted a 10% drop in students preferring Ukrainian online.
Kremen proposed several measures to address these challenges and strengthen the national initiative. He called for the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications to form a specialized unit to oversee Ukrainization. Additionally, he advised staffing increases at the National Commission on State Language Standards, which monitors compliance.
The state language law, which has been in effect since 2019, significantly impacts the use of Russian, which 29.6% of Ukrainians identified as their native tongue in the last and only census, conducted in 2001.
Under the new rules, the use of Russian has been systematically phased out in schools, media, and official communications. Businesses and public institutions face fines for failing to conduct operations in Ukrainian.
Since 2021, the authorities have enforced increasingly stricter penalties for violations. This year, Kiev decided to punish those found showing disrespect for the Ukrainian language, effectively silencing efforts to restore the use of Russian or promote multilingualism. The law equates any such attempts with actions aimed at overthrowing the constitutional order.
The language policy also affects Hungarian-speaking communities in western Ukraine’s Zakarpattia Region, where local leaders argue that it threatens their cultural identity.
Schools and media serving the Hungarian community face mounting pressure to prioritize Ukrainian, fueling international tensions. Hungary has repeatedly protested the policy, urging Kiev to respect minority language rights.
