Ukrainian Instead of Russian: How a New Generation of Children Is Being Raised in Odesa

In Odesa, the Plast movement helps children develop independence, responsibility, critical thinking, and a sense of belonging to Ukrainian culture.

Marusya Zhenzheruk, a Plast counselor and project manager at the “Dія.Business in Odesa” entrepreneurship support center, spoke about this in an interview with Intent.

According to her, it is especially important for children today to be in an environment where they can communicate in Ukrainian and see examples of responsible behavior from adults. Zhenzheruk explained that she herself joined Plast specifically in search of a Ukrainian-speaking community.

“In Odesa, I felt like a fish out of water,” she explained, noting that while her family spoke Ukrainian, there was virtually no such environment at school, university, or among her friends.

According to the counselor, Plast is important for Odesa not only as an organization for children’s leisure activities. It can help fill gaps in children’s upbringing that have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and the full-scale war.

Zhenzheruk pointed out that due to air raid alerts, remote learning, and general stress, children have fewer opportunities for meaningful social interaction and development.

“Children are falling far behind in their school education because frequent air raid alerts and online classes are not conducive to learning,” she said.

She believes that in the future, this could affect children’s ability to make decisions independently, think critically, and take action. It is precisely these skills, she said, that Plast seeks to develop through hands-on activities, games, trips, and group projects.

Zhenzheruk also spoke specifically about the language environment. She noted that even in Odesa schools, Ukrainian is not always the language children use to communicate outside of class. She pointed out that a Russian-speaking environment is still present in sports clubs and other children’s activities.

At the same time, the educator emphasizes that children should not simply be forbidden from using Russian; instead, they should be shown an engaging Ukrainian alternative—culture, history, community, and opportunities for growth.

What, in her opinion, should children be taught

Among the main principles, Zhenzheruk cites respect for others, independence, and responsibility.

She believes it is important to allow children to make mistakes and gradually learn to solve problems on their own. Excessive parental control, in her view, can deprive children of the opportunity to gain their own experiences.

She also cites helping others as another important principle. According to Zhenzheruk, children should be taught from an early age not to focus solely on themselves, but to notice the needs of others and come to their aid. This is especially important during wartime, when a significant part of society relies on volunteer work.

The War Has Changed Plast’s Work

The full-scale invasion has also affected the work of the Odesa chapter. Some of the male leaders went to serve in the military, while others left for Europe. In addition, conducting classes and large-scale events now requires constant consideration of the security situation.

According to Zhenzheruk, there have been no drastic changes to the program, but more attention is now being paid to training in first aid—specifically, stopping bleeding and applying a tourniquet.

Currently, the Odesa chapter has approximately 80–90 Plast members, of whom about 70 are children and about 20 are adult leaders. By comparison, the chapters in Kyiv and Lviv are significantly larger. According to statistics cited by Zhenzheruk, Plast in Ukraine brings together about 12,000 people in total, with another 7,000–8,000 in the diaspora.

At the same time, the organization in Odesa is gradually expanding: new leaders are joining, new groups are forming, and new children are joining.

At the same time, the Odesa Plast chapter lacks its own space—a “home.” Currently, they have to make arrangements with other organizations and businesses to hold their meetings. Zhenzheruk noted that she had raised this issue with a city official, but a final decision regarding the space has not yet been made.

In her view, for parents, Plast is not primarily a way to simply keep their children occupied after school, but rather an opportunity to provide them with a supportive environment, values, and a social circle. The activities themselves take the form of play: children sing, do crafts, go for walks, go on trips, and participate in camps and various events.

Zhenzheruk’s main advice to modern parents is simple: communicate more with your children, listen to them, and maintain an ongoing dialogue. At the same time, it’s important for adults to work on their own emotional well-being, since children react to their parents’ anxiety.

And when asked what she herself lacks for happiness, Marusia Zhenzheruk replied: “Peace. Once we win, then there will be complete happiness.”

Андрій Колісніченко