Russian language pushed out of schools in southern Ukraine

The Ukrainian language has almost completely replaced Russian from the educational process - 99% of general secondary education institutions in Ukraine now provide education in the state language.

This was stated by the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremin.

According to the language ombudsman, the changes are especially noticeable in the southern and eastern regions, which were previously considered centers of Russification.

Mr. Kremin noted that even in the few cases where formal teaching in Russian is still available, it is a residual contingent - students who entered schools several years ago. According to him, this situation will be finally changed as early as the next school year.

According to the Commissioner, in the 2021-2022 school year, approximately 100,000 students were taught in Russian or studied it as a foreign language. Today, this figure has decreased thousands of times to 345 people.

Kremin emphasized that this transformation is the result of profound changes in the linguistic identity of Ukrainians after the start of the full-scale invasion: "The issue of the state language has become one of the key priorities of Ukrainian citizens who have existentially rejected the language of the occupying country."

He also emphasized the importance of creating a full-fledged Ukrainian-language environment not only during the educational process, but also during breaks, in libraries, gyms, and schoolyards. According to him, a bill has already been registered in the Verkhovna Rada that would completely ban the use of the Russian language in schools, including after school hours.

In addition, Kremin called on adults - teachers and parents - to support the Ukrainian language in everyday life: "Children copy the language behavior of adults. That is why it is important to set an example - not to tolerate Russian, but to cherish Ukrainian."

Earlier inthe program, Svyatoslav Pomerantsev, project manager of Meridian Czernowitz, entrepreneur and publisher, expressed the opinion that in exactly two generations Ukraine will not speak Russian.

Ірина Глухова