The number of people who use Russian in everyday life is growing again in Ukraine. This was stated by Language Ombudsman Olena Ivanovska in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, explaining the phenomenon by the peculiarities of human psychology.
According to her, in 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale war, the Russian language was associated with the enemy, so society felt uncomfortable using it in public. This led to a sharp decline in its use. However, over time, due to the effect of getting used to the war, some citizens began to return to their old language practices.
Ivanovska stressed that violent methods in language policy cannot be effective. She believes that change is only possible through long-term strategies based on education and positive examples.
The ombudswoman proposes to start promoting the Ukrainian language from early childhood. This involves supporting families raising children, in particular through gift books in Ukrainian, CDs with lullabies, and informational materials that emphasise the importance of language for personal development.
In this way, the authorities should create a natural Ukrainian-speaking environment that is valuable and attractive to society, rather than one based on coercion.
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