Majority Russian-speaking city in Ukraine considers language ban in the arts
Ukraine's third-biggest city, Odesa, is set to decide on a controversial proposal to ban the Russian language in the arts this week.
The Proposal
The measure, to be discussed by councillors, aims to enhance existing restrictions on Russian language use, as mandated by national legislation. It is particularly noteworthy as Odesa is predominantly Russian-speaking, yet the ban would only apply to public spaces, with everyday Russian language use remaining unaffected.
Background
For many Ukrainians, Russian is their mother tongue, including many troops defending the country against Russia's invasion. However, Ukrainian is the official state language, spoken by the majority, and some view Russian as a tool of Russian influence.
The Odesa proposal calls for a complete halt to Russian-language content in music and literature in public spaces, parks, institutions, and state-run arts venues. It also recommends banning it in private spaces.
Reactions
The move has sparked intense debate in a city renowned for its Russian-language writers and musicians.
Artem Kartashov, an Odesa lawyer, argues, "The Russian language is a weapon of Russia, and we need to try to fix that. With Russian-speaking music and other things, Russians try to deconstruct Ukrainian identity, especially among the young."
Borys Barsky, a renowned Odesa entertainer, disagrees: "Russian isn't [only] the language of Putin; it's the language of Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov. Who benefits from setting people against each other who love Ukraine just as deeply, only in a different language? Only Putin benefits from this."
Language Relations and Politics
Russian and Ukrainian are closely related but distinct. Many in Ukraine speak surzhyk, a mix of the two languages. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who speaks Russian natively, has used Ukrainian exclusively in public since his election.
A 2019 law requires Ukrainian to be used in various public and professional contexts, including education, public services, and customer service. Public-facing workers must initially address clients in Ukrainian, switching to Russian if preferred.