Ukrainians are divided over whether to speak Russian

In a recent report, Mark Bennetts, a correspondent for the British newspaper The Times, dealt with a sensitive humanitarian aspect of the reality of the war in Ukraine, which is the internal conflict that a large number of Russian-speaking Ukrainians are experiencing. This language, which is the first language of communication for many citizens, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself, has today become laden with contradictory meanings, as its speakers find it difficult to accept the idea that they are using the language of the state that is fighting them and has caused them many tragedies.

Bennetts points out that some Ukrainians are seeking to get rid of the Russian language from public discourse, as an expression of their rejection of everything politically connected to Russia, despite their deep awareness of the difficulty of this endeavor given the rootedness of this language in their daily lives and personal culture.

On the other hand, others believe that the Russian language should not bear the burden of the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, stressing that there is no problem with using it, as it is part of their identity and culture, and is not the property of the Russian regime.

A symbolic step

During his visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, Benets met a woman who was born in the Russian-speaking city of Donetsk, which is currently under Russian control. She told him how she changed the spelling of her name to become Ukrainian, and decided to force herself to speak the Ukrainian language all the time, and even think, and even – as she says – dream about it. She described her experience as a political act par excellence and a victory over oneself, as she considered erasing her first language, which she grew up with and spoke in her home before the Russian war in 2022, as a strong symbolic step that expresses her personal and national independence.

Bennetts said that he realized during his tours that most elderly Ukrainians do not show much sensitivity to the language used to communicate with them, but some young people take symbolic positions in this regard, explaining that, for example, they are said to punish taxi drivers who speak Russian by giving them low ratings on the passenger transportation service application “Bolt.”

Ironic vision

At the conclusion of his report, Bennetts invited readers to read the novel “One Ukrainian Summer,” a memoir written by Ukrainian student Viv Gorsko about her school year in the (former) Soviet Union, where she lived an experience full of linguistic and cultural paradoxes. In her memoirs, Gorsko tells the story of her love for a Ukrainian musician named Bogdan, who was passionate about playing and music, and an avid smoker of Soviet cigarettes.

The writer discusses in a funny way the daily situations she faced due to the intersection of the Ukrainian and Russian languages, presenting the reader with a sarcastic and charming vision of the complex relationship of Ukrainians with their mother tongue and the language of their neighbors.

About “The Times”

. Ukrainians find it difficult to accept the idea that they are using the language of the state that is fighting them.

. Some Ukrainians consider the Russian language to be part of their identity and culture, and not the property of the Russian regime.